The "Pickle Breakers" team concluded their 49-hour non-stop pickleball marathon on the morning of 1/12 at the Pickler Universe club in Texas. This feat of endurance aims to set a new world record while supporting a fellow athlete's medical expenses.

The four team members – Chong Kim, Geneva Olson, Cristobal Del Castillo, and Abla Mannarino – are now awaiting confirmation from Guinness World Records for the "Longest doubles pickleball marathon." Their journey to this record was full of drama.

Initially, Kim's team had targeted the previous record of 34 hours and 5 minutes, established in London in September. However, just before their planned event, they received news that another team in Pennsylvania had completed a 48-hour challenge. "The situation forced us to choose: stay at a safe level or push beyond our limits. The whole team decided to play for 49 hours," Kim recounted.

The four members of Pickle Breakers completed the 49-hour pickleball match in Texas, United States, on the morning of 1/12. Photo: Ashley Langford

To meet Guinness rules for the doubles category, the four players had to compete continuously without substitutions. They were permitted only five minutes of rest after each hour of play. To maintain their stamina over two days and nights, the team employed a banked time strategy, accumulating rest minutes for short naps, recharging energy, and muscle massages before returning to the court.

Their motivation to endure the physical strain came from Thomas Wilson, a professional athlete on the UPA Tour. Wilson suffers from a rare autoimmune disease and an autonomic nervous system disorder, which severely impairs his respiratory function and endurance. The cost for Wilson to undergo complex recovery therapies, such as plasma exchange or stem cell treatment, is high. All funds raised from this event were directly transferred to his treatment fund.

"We dedicate this effort to Thomas, who is quietly fighting illness every day to reclaim his life," a team representative shared. Moved by his colleagues' actions, Wilson personally visited the court to cheer them on, calling it "an extraordinary effort."

Pickle Breakers, a non-profit organization founded by Kim and Colby Logan, connects communities through sports. In April, they organized a similar event, raising 25,000 USD for a fund supporting organ donor families.