Are you a board game geek? 🤓
Chess is one of the oldest and most popular board games and, today, we've got a cool chess record story to share!
10-year-old Punithamalar Rajashekar from Malaysia broke the record for the fastest time to arrange a chess set blindfolded - talk about breaking a record with her eyes closed!
She achieved the jaw-dropping time of 45.72 seconds.
Punithamalar has won multiple awards, such as Asia’s Outstanding Child Award of the Year 2022-2023, and has participated in various shows and competitions, such as Malaysia’s Kids Got Talent. 🏆
Everything about the record attempt was super serious too... It took place at Punithamalar’s school, with members of the Parents and Teachers Association and the school management all there to witness the event!
You can see it here:
As you can see, you don't really need to know the rules of chess in order to break this record, only where each piece needs to go.♟️
Punithamalar’s passion for chess, however, goes beyond arranging the chess set in record-breaking time. She is also an amazing chess player!
In fact, she started playing when she was 5 years old.
Not only is she the best player at her school, which she represented at a district chess competition, but has also participated in nationwide tournaments and, finally, she is a FIDE (International Chess Federation) registered member. 🤩
“My dad is my coach,” she explained, “and we play together almost every day.”
So how did Punithamalar get the idea to attempt a world record?
Well, it all started when she saw a documentary about extraordinary human achievements. 💪
“Seeing people push their limits and accomplish incredible feats really inspired me,” she told us. “[…] I was particularly drawn to the idea of setting a personal goal and pushing myself beyond my limits, and attempting a world record seemed like the perfect way to do that.
“I had already participated in various events such as Kids Got Talent, and felt that I wanted to do more to get recognition. My father suggested that I should focus on my passion, so my family and I decided I should break this particular record.”
And in case you're wondering how does one prepare to attempt a record, here is what Punithamalar did:
“I studied videos of previous record holders to understand their techniques and strategies.
I began my preparation 4 months before the actual attempt, with a combination of physical and mental training.
Of course, she had her dad's, family and teachers' support right from the start!
So, if you're considering attempting a record, make sure your family or friends are there to cheer for you. ❤️
Besides playing chess, Punithamalar also likes to memorize facts and pictures, and she has participated in various school competitions for storytelling and public speaking. 🗣️
Her favourite subject is maths and, when she grows up, she wants to become a space scientist. 🚀
The young chess champion says she felt a lot of “pride and uniqueness” in breaking a world record, and that she hopes it will inspire others to reach for their own extraordinary goals...
Do you feel inspired? We're looking for record breakers - click here to find out more!
Lastly, Punithamalar told us that she wants to attempt another record in the blindfolded category. 🙈
Welcome to the Guinness World Records family, Punithamalar!
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