Tunde Onakoya Confirms He Suffered Food Poisoning In His Quest To Break Guinness Record.

Tunde Onakoya.

Guinness World Record hopeful, Tunde Onakoya, has confirmed that he suffered food poisoning during his record-breaking chess marathon in New York.

Tunde Onakoya is well known among chess enthusiasts across the world and also has a foundation Known as the Chess in Slums project which aims to educate marginalized children.

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, Onakoya commenced his efforts to break the chess marathon record of 56 hours, nine minutes and 37 seconds held by two Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebo and Sjur Ferkingstad since 2018.

To achieve that, Onakoya had to partner with an American chess champion, Shawn Martinez in line with the requirement of the Guinness Book Of Records.

The aim of the 29-year-old chess player was not only to break the record but to raise $1 million for the education of marginalized children.

During his efforts to break the record in Times Square, he vomited a couple of times and was urged to give up due to his failing health but he insisted on continuing.

Tunde Onakoya succeeded in breaking the record and even surpassing the 58-hour mark he set for himself as he set a new landmark of 60-hour at about 12:40 a.m. (04:40GMT) on Saturday, April 20, 2024.

Days after the triumph, Onakoya took to his X page to confirm that he suffered food poisoning during the campaign and had to skip food for days.

“Catching up on social media now and I’ve constantly fought back tears,” he wrote.

“Love you guys very much. I’ll do a proper post when I get the right words to express all of the emotions I feel right now.

“Let me delve into this jollof rice for now. It’s my first meal in almost four days. I had food poisoning during the marathon so I couldn’t eat anything at all, just water.”