World Record
Achieved the June 30, 1995

Worl Record in 24hours with a wheelchair

  • Discipline : Wheelchair sport > Wheelchair
  • Disability : Paraplegic
  • Set by : Didier Touat
  • Nationality : French
  • Location : Gardane

The record of Didier Touat in his wheelchair: June 30th 1995.

Didier Touat, a 25 years’ old, in a wheelchair since birth wanted to regain the record that he had lost in Odessa, Russia, a few months earlier: setting up the record for the greatest number of miles run in 24 hours.

In France at Gardanne, there was a track ready for it: the stadium of Fontvenelle.

After a few mechanical problems, Didier took to the track, running a whole day long,
encouraged by his friends.
The track, 502 meters long was run 671 times by Didier in order to establish this new record of 337 km under the supervision of Mister Foury, a process server in town. It was no fun.

“At the beginning, I was feeling good, everything was O.K, Didier says. But at nightfall, you have to increase your vigilance so as not to slow down. At dawn, you have to deal with the sun, which interferes with your progress.

Little by little you feel more and more tired, more and more doubtful because the runs are more and more difficult to make. But with some motivation, some more endurance and technicality and above all with the encouragements of your friends and the cheers of a good public, you manage to do it.”

Didier is kind-hearted, it was obvious for him that he should take advantage of this opportunity to raise funds for the children hospitalised in a sterile room at La Timone.

Please note that his record fell with the Swiss Heinz Frei.

Pictures of the record