Epic record alert! 🔥
13-year-old Matilda Walden (UK), has broken the world record for the fastest time to assemble Mr. Potato Head.
It's the first time the record has been broken in 10 years! 😱
Matilda was gifted her first Mr. Potato Head on her fourth birthday.
Nine years later, in December 2021, she became the fastest person to ever build it, doing so in just 5.69 seconds! 💥
"It feels absolutely amazing to hold a Guinness World Records title" – Matilda Walden
Most of us have seen Mr Potato Head in Toy Story and own a Mr (or Mrs) Potato Head... and most of our parents do too!
The iconic toy goes back to the '50s, having been around for almost 70 years. 😱
Nowadays, assembling Mr. Potato Head in the shortest time has become one of the most iconic Guinness World Records titles. 🤩
Did you know?
Originally, Mr Potato Head was a real potato, sold with plastic parts like a nose, eyes, and a moustache! 🤯
But (understandably) a rotting potato spoiled the fun, so it was soon swapped for a plastic potato instead! 🥔
To break the record, Matilda had to test out a special technique:
"I had to be joining the nose and moustache together as I picked them up in one hand." ⏳
This way, she could work faster and beat the previous record by 0.93 seconds. 😁
The previous record of 6.62 seconds was achieved by an adult, Samet Durmaz (Turkey), all the way back in 2010.
"I had a fantastic supportive team around me which helped immensely. The biggest challenge was not being able to pull it off under a competitive environment."
Matilda attempted a Guinness World Records title to raise awareness for the local charity SELFA (Skipton Extended Learning for All).
The organisation was first founded in 2007 and works to create a safe space for children, where they can feel accepted and welcomed. 🌸
Although she didn't always feel welcomed by her community, Matilda felt supported by SELFA to the point that it gave her the confidence to believe in her talents and shoot for a world record. 🥰
"I have disabilities and sometimes find that in other community events I was not welcome and peopled judge me," she said.
"SELFA never did, and they have given me so much confidence I thought a Guinness World Records attempt would be a great idea." 😎
"My manual dexterity is extremely good, and this was noted from a young age when I used to go for my Autism assessments."
Due to her dyslexia, Matilda decided early on to focus on manual skills.
For example she loves to play the piano! 🎹
In her spare time she likes photography 📸 and to spend time in the garden 🌷 or on long walks. She also helps her community, volunteering at local charity groups.
But Matilda also has a beautiful relationship with her mum, who was her main support while preparing for this record. ⭐
After such a strong start, Matilda is looking for more records! 😱
She's confident she could assemble Mr. Potato Head blindfolded, a title that is currently hold by André Ortolf (Germany).
In 2018, he achieved the fastest time to assemble Mr. Potato Head (blindfolded) with the speedy time of 14.90 seconds. 🙈
Will Matilda (with her faithful Mr. Potato Head) attempt this epic Guinness World Records title? We can't wait to find out! 🎉
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