FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Track and field coach Melvin Nyairo once had a dream to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the fastest half-marathon dressed as a fruit. With a mission to highlight the fun side of healthy living and a history of working with runners and athletes, Chiquita Brands International, the leading banana company, helped Nyairo turn his dream into a reality. On October 20, Chiquita sent Nyairo to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon, suited up as a Chiquita banana, and rooted him on in his attempt to break the record. At the end of the race, Nyairo crossed the finish line with a time of 1:15:35, breaking the previous record of 1:19:13. To help make the celebration of this memorable experience even more bananas, Chiquita has offered Nyairo a year’s supply of his favorite fruit, bananas, to help fuel his future training endeavors.
“It was my pleasure to witness the 22 runners who were attempting a Guinness World Records title at the 2019 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon,” said Spencer Cammarano, Guinness World Records Adjudicator. “I am thrilled to share that Melvin Nyairo has achieved a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title and is now Officially Amazing™.”
“Growing up in Kenya, I have always loved bananas as they’ve helped fuel my training throughout the years. It was such a natural choice to run the marathon dressed as a Chiquita banana to break the record,” said Nyairo. “Racing on behalf of a reputable brand such as Chiquita has been an honor, and breaking a world record will be an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Prior to the race in Toronto, Nyairo ran in 18 half-marathons, attempting to break a world record. After gaining attention for running in a California half-marathon dressed as a banana, Chiquita decided to help the athlete accomplish his goal. The brand provided Nyairo with a new banana suit, training gear, nutritious Chiquita bananas and a round trip ticket to Toronto, with high hopes for his success. Following the half-marathon run, Melvin Nyairo now holds the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the fastest half-marathon dressed as a fruit.
“Chiquita has always been committed to demonstrating the fun side of healthy snacking, and it doesn’t get more fun than running a race dressed as an iconic yellow banana,” said Jamie Postell, Director of Sales North America. “We’re thrilled to help Melvin accomplish his dream and hope he enjoys snacking on our delicious bananas as he continues to train for upcoming races.”
Chiquita bananas are a nutrient-rich fruit and easy, portable snack to include in any backpack or gym bag. The potassium in bananas are important for building lean muscle, while fiber and natural sugars offer an energy boost without the crash. To find tasty, healthy recipes for athletes and learn more about Chiquita bananas, visit https://www.chiquita.com/.
