Records for the oldest people are always some of the most popular titles in the Guinness World Records book each year – and this year’s edition contains some of the most incredible seniors yet.
This year’s book includes the current record holder for the Oldest living person (male), Japan’s Masazo Nonaka who was officially verified as the current longest living man on 3 May when he was 112 years 282 days old (he’s since enjoyed his 113th birthday).
But as well as Masazo, here are five other inspirational people featured in Guinness World Records 2019 who prove that it’s never too late to do something extraordinary.
1. Oldest person to ride a zip wire (zip line)
106-year-old Jack Reynolds has regularly made the headlines in recent years most recently when LADBible re-shared a video of him achieving his third Guinness World Records title in April.
For the past three years the British great-grandfather has set a record on his big day, becoming the Oldest person to receive their first tattoo and the Oldest person to ride a non-inversion roller coaster on his 104th and 105th birthdays respectively.
2. Oldest performing flying trapeze artist (female)
Aerial gymnast Betty Goedhart was 84 years old when she did a record-breaking performance in San Diego, USA.
She performs four times a week at Trapeze High in Escondido. Although she loved watching circus trapeze artists as a child, Betty didn’t become a “flyer” herself until she was 78 years old.
3. Oldest competitive ballroom dancer (female)
100-year-old Tao Porchon-Lynch from the US has been performing in dance contests since the age of 87. She is also a yoga master and has been practising this ancient discipline for 70 years.
With “no intention of ever growing up”, Tao has many strings to her bow. Beyond dancing, she has been an actor, a fashion model, a wine critic, an author and an activist. She marched with Mahatma Gandhi – twice!
4. Oldest tandem parachute jump (male)
British World War Two veteran Bryson William Verdun Hayes jumped from 15,000 ft in May 2017 in a bid to land in the Guinness World Records book.
The thrill-seeking great-grandfather was an incredible 101 years 38 days when he completed the attempt, just one year after doing his very first skydive at the age of 100.
Asked how he felt after the history-making jump, Verdun said he was “absolutely over the moon”.
5. Oldest ice hockey player
Mark Sertich was aged 96 years and 2 days, when he played in the Snoopy’s Senior World Hockey Tournament, in Santa Rosa, California, USA.
As of April 2018, he was still on the ice every week.
Mark has been playing for around 85 years, but feels that he only became truly serious about the sport when he reached 80 years old.
You can read more about these incredible record holders and other amazing centenarians in the new Guinness World Records 2019 book.
