Africa is known for its diverse, rich culture, and talented individuals. Over the years, many Africans have made history by breaking Guinness World Records in various fields; from sports to music, science to fashion, and many more. 

Several Africans are still attempting to break more records with the recent one being Nigerian Chef Hilda Baci who cooked for 100 hours. 

The Guinness World Record is a prestigious organisation that recognises individuals or groups who have achieved extraordinary feats or accomplishments.

Africans have proven that they have what it takes to be the best in the world. Let's take a look at some of the Africans who have broken Guinness World Records.

1. Wayde van Niekerk - South African

Wayde van Niekerk, a South African sprinter, broke the world record in the 400-meter race at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He finished in 43.03 seconds, breaking Michael Johnson's record of 43.18 seconds which had stood for 17 years.

2. Mahila Mohammed - Kenyan 

Maliha Mohammed, a chef from Kenya, holds a Guinness World Record for the longest cooking time. She cooked non-stop for 75 hours straight and prepared a list of 400 local and international cuisine recipes. She achieved this feat on August 18, 2019, at Kenya Bay Beach Resort in Mombasa. Previously, the record for the longest cooking marathon was held by Rickey Lumpkin from Los Angeles, USA, who cooked for 68 hours 30 minutes and 01 second in 2018.

3. Blessing Okagbare - Nigerian

Blessing Okagbare, a Nigerian sprinter, holds the record for the most appearances in Diamond League meetings. She has competed in 67 Diamond League meetings since 2010, winning several medals along the way.

4. DJ Arch Junior - South African

Oratilwe AJ Hlongwane, popularly known as DJ Arch Junior, is a South African DJ who broke the record for the youngest club DJ at the age of five years and 38 days in 2017. He has since broken several other records, including the youngest person to play at a festival and the youngest person to win a DJ competition.

5. Tegla Loroupe - Kenyan

Tegla Loroupe, a Kenyan long-distance runner, holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest 30,000 meters by a female athlete, she ran for 1 hour 45 minutes 50 seconds in Warstein, Germany, on 6 June 2003. 

The Kenyan legend was also the first African woman to set a marathon world record, which she held for three years from 1998. Running her first major marathon in New York, the marathon pioneer won the 1994 race, again becoming the first African woman to top an American road race.

6. Moustafa Ismail - Egyptian

Moustafa Ismail, an Egyptian bodybuilder, holds the record for the largest biceps in the world. His biceps measure 31 inches in circumference, earning him the nickname "Big Mo".

7. Dickson Oppong - Ghanaian

A Ghanaian nicknamed "Waterman" set the Guinness World Record for the longest time to spray water uninterruptedly from his mouth in 32.65 seconds. He attained it on the set of a CCTV Guinness World Records Special, in Beijing, China, on 6 December 2012. 

8. The Ugandan Rolex

In 2021, the largest Ugandan rolex weighed 204.6 kg (451 lb) and was created by Raymond Kahuma (Uganda), in Kasokoso, Wakiso District, Uganda, on November 4. 

You thought the watch right? Actually its food! The Ugandan Rolex is a popular street food in Uganda that consists of a rolled chapati (a type of flatbread) filled with an omelette made from eggs, vegetables, and sometimes meat. The name "Rolex" is a combination of "rolled" and "eggs". 

Raymond and his team had been working for months on the preparation of the record to make sure everything went smoothly on the day. The Ugandan Rolex measured 2.32 meters in length and 0.66 meters at its thickest diameter.

9. Fela Kuti - Nigerian

The late Fela Kuti has a Guinness world record for the most studio album recordings released when he recorded 46 albums as a solo artist over the course of a solo career spanning 23 years. The first solo album was recorded in 1969 and the last in 1992.

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These are just a few of the many Africans who have broken Guinness World Records. Their achievements serve as an inspiration to young Africans who aspire to greatness. They have shown that with hard work, dedication, and perseverance, anything is possible. We look forward to seeing more Africans make history in the years to come.

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