Tunde Onakoya, Nigeria’s aspiring chess grandmaster, is closing in on a historic achievement as he surpassed the 20-hour mark to break the Guinness World Record for the longest undefeated marathon.
Onakoya’s marathon began at 10 a.m. on April 17 in New York City’s Times Square and will end at 8 p.m. on April 19. With 20 hours remaining, he must now faces another 38 hours to reach his goal.
The chess master shared his progress on his social media account, expressing his determination to continue his efforts until his goal is achieved.
As he said earlier, his motivation for this effort is to inspire millions of African children who do not have access to education.
The record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds set by Norwegian players in 2018 is a goal that Onakoya is looking to surpass.
Nigerian leaders, including former Vice Presidents Yemi Osinbajo and Atiku Abubakar and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have extended support and encouragement to Onakoya.
The chess grandmaster’s initiative builds on his previous work, esp Chess in the slums The project has enhanced the lives of disadvantaged children in communities such as Oshodi and Makoko.
As Onakoya continued his marathon, the world watched eagerly, eager to witness history unfold in Times Square.
