Jumping into the record books: Leeds man smashes own world record with six metre backflip

Ashley Watson, 29, has re-entered the Guinness Book of World Records with the furthest backflip between two horizontal bars of six metres.

A former member of the Great Britain Performance Squad - travelling the world and collecting medal after medal, Ashley has been working at gymnastics since the age of seven.

Speaking to the YEP following his success Ashley said: "It was unforgettable, memorable, when I was swinging round the bar after my catch I didn't even feel the bar in my hand until a couple of wing afterwards.

"When I landed on the floor I could hear all the spectators shouting and screaming then just about passed out myself from screaming."

Having set his previous mark in 2018, Ashley was due a first attempt at breaking it in 2020 only for coronavirus restrictions leading to a last minute calculation.

"It was maybe only one or two weeks before that I had to pull out so I was in peak physical performance." he said "It was disappointing to not be able to do it but prior to this year's I had to get back into training the last months to get myself into the right physical and mental condition."

The success which Ashley achieved at his home town gym in Leeds was attempted as part of the build-up to today's (November 17) Guinness World Records Day.

Today marks the eighteenth annual GWR Day. With the theme of Super Skills, record-breaking hopefuls from across the globe have put on a jaw-dropping display of dedication, persistence and elite-level talent.

Further success was achieved as one competitor pogo jumped his way over five London black cabs and another the most sit-down football crossovers in 30 seconds.

For Ashley, who broke his original mark by a significant 13 centimetres, this is just the beginning.

"I've definitely got more in the locker, I can definitely go further." he said "I'm hoping somebody will step up and try beat my record so that I have got a bit of challenge."

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