Man sets new cream cracker eating record
A 50-year-old man got a weekend of wacky world record attempts in Singapore off to a cracking start today when he became the fastest eater of dry biscuits in the world.
Requiring just a few sips of water between dry-mouthed chomps, Jeffery Koh stuffed three cream crackers into his mouth and swallowed them in a mere 14.45 seconds. He raised his hands in triumph and flashed a victory sign as officials confirmed he had easily beaten Britain’s Ambrose Mendy’s 2002 mark of 49.15 seconds.
Sixteen others taking part in the cracker-eating contest today also beat the previous record, said John Taylor, who organised the weekend of world-record-breaking attempts and who holds 79 records himself.
Four judges have flown in from Australia and all record-breaking feats will be submitted to the Guinness Book of Records, Taylor said.
Over the course of the weekend, 20 Singaporeans were attempting to smash 10 unusual records and put the tiny island nation on the map.
“This is what Singapore needs. We have got to get Singaporeans in there as far as world records are concerned,” Taylor said.
But two other attempts today – the fastest time pushing an orange with one’s nose over a mile and the fastest time to slurp down tomato ketchup with a straw - failed.
While Taylor hand-picked the weekend’s attempts, the record aspirants said they were ideal for their chosen events.
“When I was young, I used to eat very fast. I just relaxed and went out to eat,” said a sheepish Koh, who entered the cracker-eating contest with his nephew. “No, I will not be eating any more cream crackers.”
Other events include a search for the person who can:
:: make a paper airplane that remains airborne the longest
:: do the most push-ups in a minute
:: stuff the most burgers into his or her mouth at once
:: pick up the most Smarties with plastic chopsticks in the fastest time
:: talk the fastest backwards
:: say the most words in a minute or
:: make the longest paper doll chain.
A Singaporean woman recently set the world mark for writing the fastest ever text message.
