Combining confidence with perseverance, Abdul Halim of Magura accomplished an amazing task of keeping a football on his head and walk 15.2 kilometres to claim a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Saturday.
Halim now will send the evidence of his feat to London and will have to wait for the acknowledgement. Meanwhile, sponsor Walton has declared an award of Tk. 0.1 million subject to approval from the Guinness Book of the World Records.
The 36-year-old, who had been trying to make his mark for a few days, walked on the track of the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 9:40am and started his marathon task.
He was determined to shatter the record of Yee Ming Low of Malaysia, who completed 11.129 kilometres at the Subang Jaya Municipality Stadium Selangor on August 21 in 2009 to make the record of “The farthest distance travelled with a football balanced on the head” his own.
The 400-metre-track of the venue welcomed the star as he continued his laps slowly and steadily in front of a few hundred spectators. Each time he completed a lap, the crowd inspired him to surge ahead by giving him a big hand. After 2 hours 5 minutes and 48 seconds he completed the 28th lap, breaking the record set by Low. He continued his magical walk before he finally stopped after completing 38 laps (15.2 kilometres). On an average, he took 4 minutes 54 seconds to complete one lap. The total 38 laps took 2 hours 49 minutes 53.41 seconds.
Halim was ecstatic. “I tried to keep my cool and was determined to achieve the record. I could not sleep from 3:00am. I never felt any tension as I was accustomed to do 40 laps here. The weather was also suitable, but I stopped on 38 with an eye on a controlled conclusion,” said Halim.
“I hope to put my name and the country’s name in the Guinness Book of World Records. I will try more tricks as I know another 10 tricks like driving a motorcycle and also on roller skates,” said Halim. Halim was picked up by coach Iftekhar Alam back in 1993 in a school football tournament.
On November 1, 1994, on the occasion of National Youth Day, Halim proved that he can be a world beater keeping the ball on his head continuously for 24 hours.
“I kept him in police custody and they kept an eye on him. He was then included in the rally and I remember the ball dropped from his head after 24 hours and 10 minutes,” said Alam.
BFF member Fazlur Rahman Babul, former football stars Sheikh Md Aslam and Hasanuzzaman Bablu, Additional DIG of Police Sheikh Md Maruf Hasan, editor of Krirajagat Dulal Mahmood, Managing Director of Daily Shamakal Abu Saeed Khan, BNS Administrator Md Yahya, and FM Iqbal bin Anwar, deputy director of RB Group, the producers of Walton products, were present on the occasion.