Athletes in North Texas set Guinness World Record for longest pickleball marathon
A group of pickleball enthusiasts set a new Guinness World Record for the longest marathon playing pickleball, the event coordinator announced.
Their goal was 36 hours of pickleball matches and raising money for a good cause.
It's a busy and long weekend for four athletes at Pickler Universe in Carrollton. That includes Geneva Olson, Mark Olson's wife.
"They're tired. It's been a long night," Mark Olson said.
Geneva Olsen began her time on the court at 6 a.m. Saturday.
"I'm supporting my wife and the crew that's trying to set the Guinness World Record for the longest pickleball marathon," Mark Olson said.
Event producer Colby Logan is documenting the world record attempt.
"It always sounds crazy," Logan said. "It's unrealistic to do what they're talking about, but that's why they it's a world record. When you do something like that, it brings people together."
The previous record was 34 hours, held by a foursome in the U.K.
The pickleball marathon isn't just to break a world record. It supports the families of organ and tissue donation.
"It's a great cause. We have Taylor's Gift for organ donation and families that donate organs of loved ones that have passed. They provide support to those families, as well as mental health and suicide, which is close to my wife's heart," Mark Olson said.
"Organ donation is this really tricky concept of balancing grief and gratitude at the same time," Logan said.
Geneva Olson trained extra hard on the treadmill to get ready for the marathon.
"We've got four daughters, and she wants to prove to her daughters that she can do anything, and they can do anything they put their mind to," Mark Olson said. "She's been the kind of person that if there's something she wants to do, she puts her mind to it and gets it done."
