Tunde Onakoya, Nigerian chess champion and founder of the nonprofit Chess in Slums Africa, has set a new record for the longest chess marathon in the Guinness World.
Onakoye and his chess partner, Shawn Martinez, are aiming for 70 hours to break the previous record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds previously held by Norway’s Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad.
The ongoing nonstop chess marathon at New York City’s Times Square is a four-day challenge, which began on April 17.
Shortly after eclipsing the existing record, Onakoya shared his triumph on the social media platform X, dedicating the feat to “all the dreamers” while urging global support for educating and empowering street children in Nigeria. “We’ve officially BROKEN THE RECORD with my brother,” he wrote, celebrating the milestone as a call to action.
Though Guinness World Records is yet to formally certify the achievement, the chess community and supporters worldwide have flooded social media with congratulatory messages.
Onakoya’s campaign not only highlights his sporting prowess but also amplifies his mission to use chess as a tool for social change, aligning with his organization’s efforts to uplift marginalized communities through education and opportunity.
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