Beyond the boys: Women who beat male world records

Women who smashed male world records / Photo: Shutterstock

To mark International Women’s Day, the website of Guinness World Records published a collection of stories about women who set remarkable records — and in some cases outperformed men.

Cycling around the world

British cyclists Rachael Marsden and Catherine Dixon traveled around the globe on a tandem bicycle named «Alice,» completing the journey in 263 days. Their time was faster than the men’s previous record of 281 days.

Photo: guinnessworldrecords.com

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During the trip, the athletes also raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity, demonstrating the power of perseverance and teamwork.

200 ultramarathons in a row

American endurance runner Candice Burt initially set out to complete 100 ultramarathons on consecutive days, but she kept going and eventually reached 200 days.

Photo: guinnessworldrecords.com

For comparison, the men’s record for consecutive ultramarathons stands at 80 days, making Burt’s achievement a powerful example of stamina and discipline.

Ultrarunning’s «Triple Crown»

Ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter accomplished an extraordinary feat by winning three of the world’s most prestigious 100-mile races within 70 days: Western States, Hardrock, and Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.

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Публикация от Courtney Dauwalter (@courtneydauwalter)

Together, the races cover about 500 kilometers and involve elevation gains comparable to climbing 10 Mount Everests. Dauwalter already holds multiple ultrarunning records and continues to dominate the sport.

Running 10 kilometers with a hula hoop

In 2016, Canadian athlete Heather Bray set an unusual record by running 10 kilometers while continuously hula-hooping, finishing in 52 minutes.

Photo: guinnessworldrecords.com

The men’s comparable record is 1 hour 25 minutes. Bray later completed a marathon dressed as Elvis Presley in 3 hours 13 minutes, becoming the first woman to achieve the feat.

A climber conquering the world’s peaks

Mexican mountaineer Viridiana Álvarez Chávez has set multiple records in high-altitude climbing.

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Публикация от Viridiana Alvarez (@virialvarezmx)

Among her achievements: becoming the fastest woman to summit the world’s three highest mountains and completing the Seven Summits challenge along with climbs of all 14 peaks higher than 8,000 meters.

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She also set a record on Julianatop, the highest point in Suriname. Her journey from office work to elite mountaineering eventually earned her a place in the Guinness World Records Hall of Fame.