Hold the “Chariots” — a French firefighter has broken the world records for running distance and for time to make 100 meters without oxygen while wearing a protective suit alight with fire, Guinness World Records announced Thursday.
Firefighter Jonathan Vero, 39, also moonlights as a stuntman, and broke both records in a single run on his childhood track in his hometown of Haubourdin, France. Mr. Vero was wearing a protective suit set on fire and did not have oxygen, running as a literal “human torch.”
Starting out his run, Mr. Vero hit 100 meters in 17 seconds, surpassing the previous mark set by Briton Antony Britton by 7.58 seconds.
Mr. Vero would keep running another 172.25 meters, with a total distance of 272.25 meters (893 feet), breaking that record, also previously held by Mr. Britton, as well.
The distance record is highly competitive, having been broken and thereby changing hands seven times since it was first set by Briton Keith Malcolm in 2009.
A video posted on Twitter by Guinness World Records shows Mr. Vero’s blazing-fast speed.
New record: The fastest full body burn 100 m sprint without oxygen - 17 seconds by Jonathan Vero (France)
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) June 29, 2023
Jonathan also set the record for the farthest distance ran in full body burn during this attempt at 272.25 metres! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/J0QJsPNkPf
Mr. Vero has no plans to stop chasing records; breaking this pair of fire-related running world records has been a dream of his since childhood.
“This performance has a lot of meaning for me, for my job as a firefighter and for the people who trained me and watched me grow. I’ve still got a lot to try and a lot of records to go for,” Mr. Vero said in the Guinness World Records release.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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