KUALA LUMPUR: Australian ultramarathoner Natalie Dau received a Guinness World Record recognition as the fastest person to complete a run across Peninsular Malaysia.
American news agency UPI reported that the 52-year-old woman's achievement also placed her as the fastest individual to run across Peninsular Malaysia.
She set the record after running from Kelantan to Johor Baru, covering a distance of more than 700 kilometres in eight days and 46 minutes.
Natalie was well-prepared for the challenge, with 10 championship titles and participation in races ranging from 50km to 200km. The run was part of the 1,000 Mission, a 1,000km run from Thailand to Singapore.
To complete her mission, Natalie ran between 85 to 95km each day, starting as early as 12.35am to avoid the heat.
"The last 20km each day were the hardest I've ever experienced," said Natalie.
She made her debut in ultra-marathons in 2019. Natalie is currently undertaking the mission to raise funds for GRLS, a global charity that supports girls and women through sports.
"There is a significant gender gap in exercising, as women are 40 per cent less likely to be active compared with men.
"This figure is even higher in underprivileged communities.
"It may be due to a lack of access to facilities, gender stereotypes, religious or cultural reasons that make it difficult for women, so GRLS strives to break these barriers," she said.