Friday, January 29, 2010

Longest keepy-uppy journey - Dan Magness sets world record

 LONDON, UK -- Dan Magness , 26, crossed London while continuously kicking or heading a ball in the air for 14 hours and 36 miles - setting the new world record for the Longest keepy-uppy journey .

 Photo: Dan Magness stands outside Fulham Football club before starting his World record attempt for the Longest keepy-uppy journey ( enlarge photo )

 His journey began at 8am at Fulham's Craven Cottage, he then past Stamford Bridge, Upton Park and the Emirates before ending 14 hours later at Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane at 10pm.

    “I expected to break it, I knew I wasn’t going to stop but by the end I was absolutely exhausted,” he said. “I was just so happy with what we managed to do. “We had to take a bit of a detour so that added an extra six miles more than we expected to do.”

    He was allowed to keep the ball off the ground using all parts of his body, except his hands. He even kept the ball up while conducting several TV and radio interviews. The ball he used was provided by Alive & Kicking - which gives free footballs to underprivileged children.  

    At the end of the grueling journey, an ecstatic Magness said:
    "I am absolutely exhausted, I've had every sort of cramp but I am really proud."
   “This is one of my best achievements yet but there’s still plenty more in the locker!

    The previous Guinness world record for the Longest keepy-uppy journey was of 26 miles travelled.

   The feat follows his previous successful attempt, a record for keeping a ball continuously in the air when he completed a full 24 hours worth of keepy-uppies in Covent Garden in May last year.

Dan Magness , who grew up in Bellfields, is now aiming to put himself forward for other world record attempts.

   Mr Magness put himself through another gruelling training regime, including regular runs, before embarking on his second successful attempt. He has also turned his skills into a full time job, performing hundreds of half time shows at football grounds up and down the country.

Dan Magness also holds four other Guinness world records, most recently he set one for controlling a ball for 24 hours in a box in central London's Covent Garden.   

   With a number of other World Records in the pipeline he added: “Watch this space, this record will look small in comparison to the next one that’s coming."

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