Ololade Ayelabola, a student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest distance walked by a model. Ayelabola completed an impressive 130.62 km catwalk, breaking the previous record of 114.4 km held by Roberta Brown and Lorraine McCourt since 1983 in Dublin, Ireland.
The historic attempt began on October 1 at UNILAG’s indoor sports centre, where Ayelabola set out to achieve her original goal of 120 km. After surpassing that target, she continued for an additional 10 km, walking a total of 2,058 laps around the sports facility. Her extraordinary achievement is currently awaiting verification by the Guinness World Records (GWR).
In a statement shared via Instagram, Ayelabola highlighted her motivations for taking on this record-breaking feat, explaining that her walk was more than a personal challenge. “I’m not walking for myself alone. I am walking for many models who have been limited by stereotypes and standards set by rigid systems,” she said. Ayelabola also emphasized that her achievement was an opportunity to showcase the creativity and talent within Nigeria’s fashion industry.
While the official GWR confirmation is pending, Ayelabola’s accomplishment has already captured the attention of many, marking a significant moment in both Nigerian fashion and global record-setting history.
