Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has broken the world record for the longest chess marathon after playing non-stop for 64 hours with US chess master, Shawn Martinez, at Times Square, New York.
The duo surpassed the previous record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds, set by Norwegian players Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad in June 2024.
The four-day challenge began on April 17, with an initial goal of 70 hours.
The 30-year-old Onakoya dedicated the feat to supporting education for underprivileged children.
“We’re doing this for a million dreams, to build the biggest free school in Africa for homeless kids.”
Guinness World Records confirmed the achievement, while support poured in from the Nigerian community, including superstar Davido and Vice President Kashim Shettima, who hailed it as a symbol of Nigerian excellence and resilience.
RN
