HURGHADA, Egypt (AP) — With nothing however grit, muscle and an iron jaw, a massively widespread Egyptian wrestler equipped for a rare problem Saturday: pulling a 700-ton ship throughout the water with a rope held solely by his enamel.
“In the present day, I’ve come to interrupt the world report,” Ashraf Mahrous mentioned in an interview in Egypt’s Pink Sea resort of Hurghada after the problem.
It was no straightforward process however Ashraf Mahrous, additionally recognized by his nickname Kabonga, has dazzled earlier than along with his astonishing power. Earlier this yr, he pulled a practice. He has additionally singlehandedly pulled a locomotive and 4 years in the past, a truck.
With every achievement, his reputation has soared — youngsters run after him within the streets, the place he’s recognized merely as “robust man.”
With the ship pull, Mahrous, a 44-year-old native of the port metropolis of Ismalia, hopes to get one more recognition from the Guinness World Information.
A triumph by the Pink Sea
The scene was set Saturday on the shore in Hurghada. Mahrous first pulled a 700-ton ship, and to affirm his problem he pulled two ships weighing roughly 1,150 tons collectively.
“I pulled them each, because of God, to show to my associates and the entire world that God blessed me by being the strongest man on the planet,” Mahrous mentioned.
He mentioned the present Guinness World Document is a 614-ton ship set in 2018.
Mahrous mentioned he’ll ship movies and pictures of his try to Guinness World Information to be evaluated.
In preparation for the feat, Mahrous adopted a protein- and iron-rich food plan, consuming at the very least a dozen eggs, two entire chickens, and 5 kilograms (11 kilos) of fish on daily basis — all whereas coaching for 2 hours, thrice a day.
It wasn’t his first ship pull. Six years in the past, he tried for 2 hours earlier than he managed to tug a 4,000-ton ship within the water, a rope strapped to his shoulders, for about 30 meters (yards). The occasion was caught on video.
″I grunted and yelled as I pulled the ship, and I spoke to it, saying ‘It’s both me otherwise you immediately,’” he advised The Related Press lately at his native health club in Cairo, the place he trains every day.
Mahrous believes that talking with the article he pulls beforehand helps him set up a connection and is vital to his success. “It’s vital for me to deal with the article that I’ll pull as a part of my physique that strikes together with my coronary heart beat,” he mentioned.
A unprecedented youngster
Mahrous, 190 centimeters (6 toes 3 inches) tall and weighing 155 kilograms (341 kilos), mentioned his power emerged early.
As a toddler, he would carry his associates for enjoyable and haul heavy masses, a number of gasoline cylinders without delay on a wheelbarrow. He was 9 when his father misplaced his job as a contractor in Iraq and after that, Mahrous started knocking on doorways, providing to elevate heavy objects for some money.
As soon as, he by chance broke a buddy’s arm when he tried to tug him as they performed. He helped individuals transfer bricks, sandbags and different heavy supplies — and he was quick. He liked sports activities and educated in kung fu, kickboxing and even established a wrestling staff in Cairo.
It was solely when his associates noticed him simply flip large tires 10 occasions in a row in a abandoned courtyard at their health club and push a automobile utilizing solely a finger that they inspired him to go for a world report.
“I used to be impressed by individuals who broke information and felt like they’re no higher than me,” he mentioned. Now he’s much less frightened of accidents and extra involved about failing to perform a pull.
Previous recognitions
In March, he was formally acknowledged by Guinness World Information for the heaviest rail pull: He pulled a practice weighing 279 tons with a rope held by his enamel for a distance of practically 10 meters (33 toes). On the time, he acquired two different certificates, for the heaviest locomotive pull and for the quickest 100-meter highway automobile pull.
Mahrous, who can be president of the Egyptian Federation for Skilled Wrestlers, was beforehand acknowledged by Guinness in June 2021, for pulling a 15,730-kilogram truck along with his enamel. And in February 2024, the worldwide franchise acknowledged him for cracking and consuming 11 uncooked eggs in 30 seconds.
He wears a mouthguard throughout pulling occasions however says he has no considerations about his enamel. As an alternative of going to a dentist, he makes use of a miswak — a conventional teeth-cleaning twig wealthy in anti-bacterial compounds that assist forestall decay.
He says he takes no dietary supplements however eats, sleeps and works out at the very least twice on daily basis.
His ambitions are removed from over. Subsequent, he plans to ship a request to the Egyptian presidency for permission to tug a 263,000-ton submarine.
He additionally hopes sometime to tug a aircraft utilizing solely his eyelid muscular tissues.
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Khaled reported from Cairo.
