Pangasinense ‘backward runner’ goes for 2 Guinness World Records

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – A Pangasinense runner will attempt to break two Guinness World Records on fastest backward running on Christmas Eve.

Alfonso “Jojo” Bigay will try for two Guinness Book of World Records (GBWR) standards on December 24, at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen town.

Bigay will attempt to rewrite the fastest backward runs in the 100-meter and the 200-meter male categories

According to the guinnessworldrecords.com, the record for the both 100-meter and 200-meter backward runs are now held by Christian Roberto Lopez Rodriguez of Toledo, Spain.

Lopez Rodriguez set the 200-meter standard of 30.99 seconds on July 30, 2019. He also beat the previous record of Roland Wegner of Germany in the 100-meter backward run, setting a new mark of 13.17 seconds on June 5, 2022.

Bigay, 53 years old, said his attempts will be made between 6 to 8 in the morning, when the air is cool and sun’s heat does not sting.

He will have a dry run a week earlier, on December 17, at 8 am.

This may be Bigay’s last chance in breaking the two world records. He had scheduled attempts before in 2015 – July 25 and September 10 – but postponed these due to an illness.

“Hindi na ako bumabata”, he said. (I’m not getting any younger).

Bigay is regularly seen training at the beachfront. He also does stationary bike backpedaling, skip rope, and other exercises.

Bigay asked the support of fellow Pangasinenses in his attempt to snatch the two records.

He also urged youngsters to try backward running as a sport.

Bigay has been into backward running since 1991.

Bigay’s attempts will be documented and submitted to Guinness for further evaluation. – Rappler.com