Canadian grandmother, 61, holds plank for 5 hours to beat own world record

A 61-year-old Canadian grandmother has held a plank for five hours, surpassing her own world record set in 2024.

DonnaJean Wilde completed the feat on Oct 6 at the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah, US, ABC News reported.

Her previous record was four hours, 30 minutes and 11 seconds, set in 2024. 

Guinness World Records told ABC News that it had received an application for her latest attempt and would review the evidence before confirming a new record.

Wilde, a retired high school vice-principal, is a mother of four and grandmother of 12.

She began planking daily about 15 years ago after suffering a wrist injury. 

She discovered she could still perform the exercise while wearing a cast and continued the practice after her injury healed.

Wilde also uses the time to multitask. 

"Just read, do texts, whatever, do schoolwork. I did a master's degree while I was planking. Wrote a book," she told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

More than 12,000 senior athletes aged 50 and above cheered her on during the record attempt, according to the report.

In a 2024 interview with CBS News, Wilde said she lived with chronic pain and numbness linked to transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord.

Despite the condition, she has continued her fitness routine.

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helmy.aat@asiaone.com