Australian Campbell Symes broke the world record for rolling, a term used for the sparring aspect of BJJ, with a time of 30 hours.
His schedule allotted 4-hour intervals with 12-minute breaks, reported Jiu-Jitsu Times. He was supported by his teammates who took turns as sparring partners for each round, some of them even sleeping on the mats throughout the night. At the 30-hour mark, the gym erupted in cheers as they played “We are the Champions” by Queen.
Campbell’s record also helped to raise funds for Phuket-based RDC Gym where he has been training and which is home to some of the best Jiu-Jitsu kids athletes in the country.
“When COVID-19 hit and we lost our Jiu-Jitsu home, RDC opened their doors to us, welcomed the team, and also gave me a chance to teach these amazing kids,” Campbell said ahead of his feat.
“Now COVID-19 has really affected the gym, parents can’t afford training and the gym is on the verge of closing,” he added.
At time of press, Campbell’s efforts had helped raise B65,000 towards his target of B250,000.
The previous world record of 24 hours was held by Damian ‘Obi’ Todd who helped raise funds and awareness for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.
Campbell has won a considerable amount of national and regional competitions, including the Pan-Asian Championships, the UAEJJF National Pro, Siam Cup, Copa De Bangkok, and IBJJF Pan Pacific Championship.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling martial art that was developed for self-defense. The sport has grown massively popular over the years, especially with the rise of mixed martial arts (MMA) as BJJ is seen as one of the fundamental martial arts for cage fighting, on par with Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling, and other martial arts.
More details about how to donate can be accessed at: https://gogetfunding.com/bjjlongestroll/