Idaho Dad Spends All of 2021 Breaking World Records

David Rush says he broke 52 world records last year; Guinness has so far confirmed 43 of them
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 28, 2022 9:45 AM CST

David Rush spends more time than the average person trying to break world records, and he racked up 150 of them since 2015, according to the bio on his website. Now, the Idaho author and entertainer who calls himself "one of the most prolific Guinness World Records title holders on the planet" has gone meta, likely setting a new record for setting world records: what he says is an average of one per week for all of 2021, reports NPR. Rush, who has made appearances on a slew of late-night shows and America's Got Talent, notes in a recent blog post that he kicked things off last January with a neighbor by stacking wet bars of soap.

From there, Rush completed dozens of other feats, including vying for the most TP rolls balanced on the head, the most marshmallows caught by mouth in a minute, the fastest 100 meters run while blindfolded (he pulled it off in 14.33 seconds), and the fastest time to wrap a person in wrapping paper (that one involved a team). One of the hardest tasks he set for himself: "the most kiwis sliced in one minute using a samurai sword while standing on a Swiss ball."

There were also plenty of juggling stunts on his 2021 list—including most consecutive ax juggling catches and most juggling catches while blindfolded on a balance board—which isn't surprising for a guy who claims he's both the world's fastest juggler and the world's slowest juggler. The dad of two also notes in his bio that while he was a student at MIT, he won an undergraduate award in electrical engineering for the juggling simulator he built.

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Rush says he engages in his record-breaking activities to promote STEM education and to inspire students not to give up during challenging tasks. As for his newest achievement, Guinness World Records has weighed in, telling NPR that it has confirmed 43 of Rush's 2021 records thus far. Rush says the delay is standard due to the lengthy review process, which can take several months. He adds that he has 10 or 11 more possible world records currently being reviewed, with a couple of extra ones thrown in for good measure, "in case any are not approved for any reason." (Check out NPR for the 43 that have received the thumbs-up so far.)

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