Record Acers: 6 Guinness World Record Holders With Disability  

“There’s nothing more debilitating about a disability than the way people treat you over it.”

– Solange Nicole

Did you know that more than one billion people around the world have some form of disability? This makes them one of the largest minority groups. Despite all the progress that we have made as human beings, many of us still treat disabled people like lesser beings. In many spheres of life, they face discrimination and are stigmatized. We have to remember that disabled people are fellow human beings just like us. They are just differently abled. They have talents and powers that we do not have. Hence, we should do our best to include them and treat them as equals.

In fact, you will be surprised to know of the achievements made by a number of differently-abled people. They broke barriers and made a name for themselves in the annals of history. There are quite a number of Guinness World Record holders who are differently abled.

Let us celebrate the achievements of some of the outstanding individuals who made a Guinness World Record despite their disability.

Name: George Eyser

Record: First Para-Athlete to Compete in the Olympics

The Summer Olympics of 1904 held in St. Louis, United States, witnessed a plethora of outstanding feats. German-American gymnast, George Eyser, was one talented Olympian who astounded the world with his extraordinary achievements. Eyser has lost his left leg after being run over by a train. This harrowing incident did not put a stop to his dreams. He used a wooden prosthesis for his left leg and competed in the Olympics of 1904, making him the first Olympian with a disability as well as the first Olympian medallist with a disability. He won six medals in one day. Three of his gold medals were for rope climbing, vault, and parallel bars. He won two silver medals for pommel horse and the combined event of parallel bars, horizontal bar, vault, and pommel horse. His bronze medal was for the horizontal bar event.

Name: Zion Clark 

Record: Fastest 20 m Walk on Hands

Zion Zachariah Clark is one of those rare individuals who turned his seeming weakness into one of his greatest strengths. Born on September 29, 1997, the American wrestler, professional mixed martial artist, and wheelchair racer was born without legs as he was afflicted with Caudal Regression Syndrome. While many with his condition would have opted to live a life in obscurity, Zion went on to attend Kent State University at Tuscarawas, Ohio, and joined their wrestling team. He did not let his disability prevent him from being an inspiration to millions of others. As per the Guinness World Records, he is the fastest man on two hands. He created a world record by walking 20 m with his hands in only 4.78 seconds. Zion Clark is undoubtedly an inspiration to many.

Name: Sujith Varghese

Record: Largest GPS Drawing (Individual) (CID2)

Born in Kerala, India, motivational speaker and athlete, Sujith Varghese, made a life for himself in Dubai. In 2013, Varghese got into a bike accident and was left paralyzed. This did not dampen his passions. He turned to GPS drawing as a medium to combine his love for art and traveling. The wheelchair-bound athlete made the remarkable Guinness World Record of the largest GPS Drawing by meandering through Dubai’s streets, passing by the World-renowned Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. In just 24 hours, he covered a total distance of 8.71 Km and drew the slogan of a disabled man sitting in a wheelchair through his GPS drawing.  

Name: Max Park

Record: Fastest Speedcuber

Born on November 28, 2001, Korean American Max Park is deemed to be one of the greatest cubers of all time. Park was born with Autism. According to his parents, Schwan and Miki, there was a time when he couldn’t even open water bottles. This all changed when his parents introduced him to a Rubik’s Cube as a method of therapy. Park quickly took to it. Within no time, he made a name for himself. He created a number of world records in speedsolving in the 4x4x4, 5x5x5, 6x6x6, 7x7x7, and 3x3x3 cube-solving. 

Name: Rick Hansen 

Record: Longest Journey by Wheelchair

Richard Marvin Hansen, popularly known as Rick Hansen, was only fifteen when he got into a pickup truck accident and sustained a spinal cord injury.   However, being a paraplegic did not stop him from becoming a track and field athlete, activist, and philanthropist. Born on August 26, 1957, the Canadian athlete dedicated his life to creating a legacy worth envy. During his Man in Motion World Tour, he traversed the globe in a wheelchair to raise funds for a charity. Starting his journey in Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, on March 21, 1985, he wandered through four continents and thirty-four countries, logging in 40,075.16 Km. He ended his journey on May 22, 1987. This made him the world record holder for the longest journey in a wheelchair.

Name: Eleanor Simmonds 

Record: Youngest Recipient of an MBE 

Born on November 11, 1994, Eleanor May Simmonds started her medal-winning swimming career early on in life. She did not let her Achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, affect her pursuit of success.  In the 2008 Summer Paralympics, she was the youngest British Olympian to compete and win two gold medals. That year, she was named the British Young Sports Personality of the Year. At the tender age of 14 years and 50 days, she was in the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for her services to disabled sports, making her the youngest member of the prestigious MBE. Later, she was elevated to Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Conclusion

The world is a pretty big place. There is a place for each and every one of us. Hence, we should never discredit anybody without giving them a chance. You never know who may surprise you. Just like the people mentioned in this list. They defied expectations and made a name for themselves by creating world records. In fact, there are many more people with disabilities who have made world records.

Though comment and let me know your thoughts about these outstanding individuals.

(Reference: Guinness World Records)

July 2024 marks a special milestone at The World’s Best Magazine as we proudly declare it the Diversity, Resilience, and Inclusion Month. Throughout the month – as well as in the few weeks immediately before and after it – we dedicate our platform to celebrating the richness of diversity, the strength of resilience, and the power of inclusion.

Join us as we spotlight stories that showcase the myriad facets of diversity, from cultural heritage to individual identities. Through our features, we aim to amplify voices that demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity, inspiring others to persevere and thrive.

Moreover, we pledge to champion inclusion in all aspects of our work, ensuring that every story, perspective, and experience is welcomed and valued. By embracing diversity, resilience, and inclusion, we strive to foster a more equitable and compassionate world.

Let’s come together to honor the beauty of our differences, celebrate the triumphs of the human spirit, and reaffirm our commitment to building a society where everyone is seen, heard, and valued.

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