A French firefighter recently made history as he broke two Guinness World Records for running while being set on fire on the track. 39-year-old Jonathan Vero entered the record books for running the longest distance while being on fire and without oxygen.
Wearing a protective suit, Jonathan ran 272.25 metres (893 ft) while engulfed in flames, breaking the previous record of 204.23 metres (670 ft).
In doing so, Jonathan also broke the record for the fastest full body burn 100 m sprint without oxygen, clocking in at 17 seconds, beating the previous record by 7.58 seconds.
Both records were previously held by Antony Britton (UK).
The lightning-fast run was 68.02 meters longer than the previous record for the longest distance full body burn run without oxygen, according to Guinness World Records.
“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,” Vero said.
“I’ve still got a lot to try and a lot of records to go for.
“Here, I’m considered a ‘paradox’, even a ‘cheater of death’, and I think that in the months to come, these descriptors will take on their full meaning,” he added.
"New record: The fastest full body burn 100 m sprint without oxygen - 17 seconds by Jonathan Vero (France)
"Jonathan also set the record for the farthest distance ran in full body burn during this attempt at 272.25 metres!" Guinness World Records tweeted.
Who is Jonathan Vero?
In addition to being a firefighter, Jonathan is also a professional stuntman. He says he’s “always had a passion for fire,” and he’s “never stopped playing with it” ever since he was a child.
He attempted these records because he enjoys “pushing the limits,” and he wanted to “push open the doors of the famous Guinness World Records.” He also wanted to prove to himself that he can “always go further” as a fire artist.
Jonathan spent three months preparing for his record-breaking run, training his “endurance, explosiveness, and breathing.”
