By Tim Binnall
A determined Nigerian woman captured a Guinness World Record by counting to 1,070,000 over the course of a staggering 70 days. Citing an "internal desire to break limits and achieve something extraordinary," Favour Ogechi Ani reportedly claimed the odd title for "highest number counted out loud" this past autumn. Sticking to a rather rigorous process, the new record holder woke up every morning and, after eating breakfast and praying, counted for seven hours before having lunch and then resuming her pursuit of the record for another seven hours before going to sleep and starting the cycle all over again the following day.
While conceding that the monotonous 70-day-long chase for the championship was "tough," Ani marveled that "my passion for counting kept me going" and thanked her "lovely team supporting and cheering me up." To that end, every digit spoken during the record-breaking pursuit was captured on a YouTube livestream that she also credited with boosting her spirits. "It kept me motivated, knowing people were watching," she explained. Looking back on the moment when her counting finally came to an end, Ani mused, "saying that last number was a mix of relief and joy at the same time. It was an incredible feeling, knowing I'd achieved something unique."