An Austin, Texas Man Has Set an Unusual World Record Using a Basketball and a Marathon

The world is full of some very weird world records, some of those set in Texas. Stuff like longest fingernails, biggest mustache or largest book ever published have plaques for the records they set. There are some unusual world records out there like biggest video game collection, largest collection of Funko Pop! or largest pair of cowboy boots. There is almost a world record for anything. Over the weekend, an unusual world record was set in Austin during a marathon that involved an Austin man and a basketball.

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Ben Duong

Ben Duong attended McNeil High School just outside of Austin where he ran track and cross country. While attending Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, he also ran track and cross country while pursuing his bachelor’s degree. His is also a huge fan of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs. The team decided to sponsor Duong during his run in the Austin Marathon on Sunday as he attempted to break a Guinness World Record.

1 Hour, 21 Minutes, 38 Seconds

Duong wanted to break the world record for fastest person to finish a marathon while dribbling a basketball. Sounds simple, right? Okay. Go outside and dribble a basketball. Yeah, it's not as easy as you might think. The San Antonio Spurs, his favorite basketball team, decided to sponsor him as he attempted this world record run. The previous record was 1 hour, 25 minutes. Duong finished the Austin Marathon in 1 hour, 21 minutes, 38 seconds, shattering the old record.

To Break the Record

To successfully break the world record, Duong had to dribble the basketball without picking it up for the entire 13.1 miles of the half marathon. If he lost control of the basketball, he had to retrieve the ball then go back to the spot he lost it and start dribbling it again.

The Coyote was Waiting

Since the San Antonio Spurs sponsored Duong with this world record attempt, the Spurs mascot The Coyote was waiting at the finish line to congratulate Duong. No word on if Duong will be attending a Spurs game anytime soon to either meet the players or be recognized on the court, or both.

Congratulations Ben Duong on breaking this world record.