 LOS ANGELES -- A 400-pound former national champion sumo wrestler who completed the
Los Angeles Marathon in torrential rain may have set a Guinness record,
race officials say.Kelly Gneiting, 40, jogged and walked his way through driving rain to
finish Sunday's 26.2-mile marathon in 9 hours, 48 minutes, 52 seconds,
the Los Angeles Times reported. "I did it, but it was hell," Gneiting said shortly after crossing the finish line in Santa Monica. "Pure hell." Gneiting -- who weighs 400 pounds and has a 60-inch waist -- said he
thought more than once during the race his blistered, rain-soaked feet
would prevent him from finishing the course. "My feet were on fire," he said. "Twice, blisters popped and just about brought me to my knees -- but I kept going." Aside from completing the marathon, Gneiting succeeded in
accomplishing a personal best, improving his time from 11 hours, 48
minutes, 16 seconds from the 2008 Los Angeles Marathon, the Times said. Gneiting may also have set a Guinness world record for the heaviest
person to complete a marathon. That decision will be made after Guinness
representatives review his results. |
