Medical student Jacob Sommer Simonsen sets a new unofficial world record

On Friday, medical student at AU and record-breaking runner, Jacob Sommer Simonsen, who already holds the Danish records for marathon, half-marathon and ten-kilometre distances, set an even more unconventional record.

In a newly opened running centre in Østerbro in Copenhagen, he ran ten kilometres on a treadmill in 28 minutes and 57 seconds, fast enough to give him the unofficial world record. The previous world record was 29 minutes and six seconds.

The record was set in front of a cheering audience and a DJ who played the song "All I Do Is Win" featuring DJ Khaled when Jacob Sommer Simonsen passed the ten-kilometre mark and was able to be applauded on the treadmill. It was a unique experience, he later told the Danish Athletics.

“It was an insanely great event. Some cool things are happening in terms of running, and I think it's pretty cool to support something like this," Jacob Sommer Simonsen said.

Hoping for an official record

The new unofficial world record coincides with World Athletics introducing a new world championship in the five-kilometre treadmill race next year. 

The ten-kilometre distance on a treadmill is not yet recognised by World Athletics or Guinness World Records, according to DR, and therefore it is an unofficial world record. However, a certified measurer from the Danish Athletics Federation was present so that the world record could be registered correctly and reported to Guinness World Records in the hope of official validation, Jacob Sommer Simonsen stated in a press release. 

“Running should be fun”

It is not unusual for Jacob Sommer Simonsen to chase unconventional records. For example, he holds the Danish record in the so-called beer mile run, where you have to run four laps of 400 meters and drink one beer per lap. When it fits into his calendar, he likes the slightly different energy that is in the more non-traditional races, he explained in the press release before Friday's run.

“I like to believe that running should be fun, and these special running disciplines and events fit in perfectly. Right now, I am training for the Valencia Marathon, where I am aiming to set a new Danish record. "It fits in really well with a tough training session tomorrow (Friday, ed.), so when it's fun and a great event at the same time, it's absolutely perfect," Jacob Sommer Simonsen says.

The Valencia Marathon will take place on December 7th. Here, Jacob Sommer Simonsen will try to break his own Danish record of two hours, seven minutes and 51 seconds. He then looks forward to the World Half Marathon Championships, which will be held in Copenhagen next year. 

This text is machine translated and post-edited by Lisa Enevoldsen.