Nigerian Woman Makes History, Breaks Guinness World Record With 55-Hour Interview Marathon
Clara Chizoba Kronborg, a Nigerian social media entrepreneur, has set a new world record by completing the longest interviewing marathon, clocking in at 55 hours and 24 seconds.
Rob Oliver (USA) held the previous record of 37 hours and 44 minutes, set in 2022. Clara, known for her YouTube talk show, interviewed a diverse array of individuals, including politicians, business owners, content creators, actors, real estate agents, and more, totaling 90 interviews.
The conversations were centred around how each guest achieved success in their respective field.
Clara grew up in relative poverty in Onitsha, Nigeria, which fuelled her fascination with the concept of success.
According to her, โThis record attempt was about bringing together diverse individuals, sharing their inspiring narratives, and forging meaningful connections on a global scale.
โI am committed to amplifying voices, particularly those of hardworking women, and using their stories to inspire others facing similar challenges.โ
Claraโs record attempt took place on a docked yacht in the Spanish city of Marbella, where she currently lives.
In addition to the usually sunny harbour being struck by a heavy rainstorm, Clara faced several difficulties during her record attempt.
She says her voice became โvery hoarse and rustyโ but she avoided losing it by drinking lots of water.
As with all โlongest marathonโ record attempts, Clara accrued five minutes of rest time after each hour of interviewing; only during these breaks was she permitted to nap, change her clothes, or go to the bathroom. So, to compensate for the large volume of water she was consuming, Clara wore adult diapers throughout her record attempt.
โEven worse, my period started the same day, and I was already having intense menstrual cramps,โ she revealed.
โAt some point I was literally dripping pee and period stain, but I persevered and kept my eyes on the goal. To anyone who ever reads this, once you find your purpose, go after it with everything youโve got.โ
Clara also suffered neck and back aches, which her team relieved with massages during her rest breaks.
She struggled with sleepiness at multiple points but says she gained a โbattery rechargeโ every time she began interviewing a new guest, as she was eager to hear their story.
Enduring all the hardships was worth it for Clara, who says it feels โsurrealโ to now hold this world record.
โRecalling everything I went through physically, mentally, financially, emotionally โ it feels so unreal,โ she said.
โI am extremely proud of this accomplishment because I know lives have been touched and changed.
โThis achievement is dedicated to all those who dare to dream and persist, regardless of the challenges they face.โ
