Serial record breaker more than doubles fun title by popping balloons with a plunger
German serial record breaker André Ortolf armed himself with a plunger to absolutely obliterate this record – and it looks like so much fun.
The 32-year-old claimed the title for most balloons popped with a plunger in 30 seconds with a total of 60, more than doubling the previous record of 23 set by Kevin Daane (USA) last year.
The entrepreneur, who works for his family’s recycling business, said: “It was a lot of fun. I really enjoy attempting unusual and entertaining records, and this one definitely made me smile. It's one of those challenges that's just as enjoyable to watch as it is to attempt.
“I've always enjoyed balloon-related world records because they're fun and entertaining. When I came across the idea of popping balloons with a plunger, I thought it was such a ridiculous and amusing challenge that I simply had to give it a try.”
Despite smashing the previous record, André says he actually had time to spare and is convinced he could pop even more balloons.
He said: “I definitely think there's still room for improvement. I completed the attempt in just 24 seconds, so I believe I could have popped even more balloons with a little more practice.
“One thing I focused on was inflating each balloon as much as possible so they had maximum tension, making them easier to pop with the plunger.”
Read about more fun records like this one in our Hobbies and Skills section.
André currently has over 150 records to his name, including fastest 100 m in clogs (21.59 sec) and most hot sauce eaten in one minute (655 g; 23.14oz), and admits this balloon popping title was on the “easier side” of those he’s attempted.
Among his favourite records is the fewest darts to score 501 while blindfolded (male), which he managed with a total of 49.
He also really enjoyed another he is waiting for confirmation on, which saw him visit a (hopefully) record number of cafés in Vienna in 24 hours.
André said: “One of the things I enjoy most about breaking world records is showing that almost anything can become an exciting challenge. Sometimes the simplest or strangest ideas turn into the most memorable records, and that's what keeps me motivated to keep searching for the next one.”
