Croat set to break car-pushing Guinness World Record
- by croatiaweek
- in News
19 April 2019 – Croatia is set to hold another Guinness World Record. Next weekend, on Saturday 27 April at 3 pm young Croatian strongman Tomislav Lubenjak will attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for pushing a car the furtherest in 24 hours by an individual.
“My goal in 100 km!,” Tomislav says ahead of his world record attempt next weekend which will take place in his hometown of Zagreb. Tomislav will also attempt to break the record for pushing a car the furtherest by two people in 24 hours.
The current world record for an individual pushing a car in 24 hours is 82.28 km set by Poland’s Przemyslaw Marczewski. The world record for pushing a car by two people was 95.07 km, set by Macedonians Aleksandar Chekorov and Alexsandar Smilkov.
“I believe I can do more than they could do together,” Tomislav, who according to Guinness rules needs to push a car and a driver with a minimum combined weight of at least 730 kg.
The record attempt will take place on Vukovar street from the intersection of Donjih Svetica and Vukovar street to the Zagrepčanka building (intersection of Savska street and Vukovar street) (back and forth) from 3 pm on Saturday 27 April – 3 pm Sunday 28 April. Traffic will be regulated during that period. Guinness judge Sofia Greenacre will arrive from the UK to oversee the attempt.
Tomislav has been preparing for this record for a number of years. In February this year he decided to walk 100 km in 18 hours. He also prepared by pushing a car 50 km in 10 hours.
“I decided to set the record in the category of pushing a car because it is both physically and mentally extremely demanding. As a boy I really liked to read through the Guinness Book of Records, and the people who set the records have always fascinated me. Moving the boundaries, beating oneself, the challenge of that extra step, that’s why I’ve decided on this. I want to encourage young people, especially guys, to move their own boundaries. We always needs a good challenge. Find your goal and make it even stronger every day! So to put it: push to the end,” he said.
Breaking a Guinness World Record is not only a sporting challenge, but also a logistically serious project. Strict Guinness rules on breaking a world record do not allow for any omissions. “I gathered a whole team of experts, mostly volunteers, who help me in every way to realise this project in which I invested all my savings and to which I directed all my psycho-physical training.”
The former basketball player who graduated kinesiology at the University of Avila in the United States, has been engaged in sports for over seven years and is now a successful fitness coach.
After serious injuries ended his basketball career, Tomislav shifted his discipline and knowledge to new challenges.
“Most of my injuries were caused by the ignorance of coaches on physical preparation. That is why I continued my education in this direction: how to prevent injuries in professional and recreational sports.”
“Since we live in times when people are moving less and less, I would like this action to motivate people to get started. I hope my message will reach as many people as possible and that those who always have an “excuse” will decide to do some physical activity, even half an hour a day. If I can push a car for 24 hours, you can start with a small but persistent step. And once you go, push it all the way! “Tomislav concludes.
