A man of many talents, 20-year-old Declan McFerran has officially cemented his reputation as the fastest person in the world to assemble a Mr. Potato Head. The Northern Irish all-rounder, who also teaches gymnastics, taekwondo, and piano, achieved the new Guinness World Record with a blistering time of 5.15 seconds.
The remarkable feat, which took place in Toome, County Antrim, shaves 0.28 seconds off the previous record held by Malaysian serial record breaker Lim Kai Yi. McFerran, who told Guinness World Records that he hadn’t seen or owned a Mr. Potato Head since he was a child, was inspired to take on the challenge after being “enticed by the record.”
His successful attempt came after a grueling four-hour practice session. Despite failing on most of his attempts, McFerran’s perseverance paid off. He credits his victory to a finely tuned, two-handed technique that allowed him to attach multiple pieces simultaneously. “It was to start with the body, hat and legs, as all three pieces could be put together simultaneously,” he explained.
McFerran’s win is a testament to the fact that passion, even for a seemingly trivial skill, can lead to incredible achievements. His record-breaking performance has created a “spark” in him, and he now plans to pursue more world records in the near future.
