An article on Ashrita Furman’s world-record attempt to balance the longest pole under your chin. Aspendos is a name that holds magic and charm read more. This masterpiece of the ancient universe is found 50 km east of Antalya. It’s located on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Zeno, a Roman architect who worked out of the granite rock in AD 162, built an amphitheatre capable of seating 12,000 people. It was both a sound and visual shell. The seats were arranged in tiers and could be climbed to view dramas, pageants or heroic athletic feats.

That glorious spirit was revived on December 13th by a New York visitor, whose name is synonymous to deeds that are herculean in scale. Ashrita Furman established 126 Guinness World Records over the years in categories like pogostick jumping (somersaulting), ball balancing (hopping), skipping, and juggling.

Ashrita was always looking for stunning backdrops for records and chose Aspendos to host his latest record attempt. He wanted to balance the highest object on his neck. The previous record was a 13 meter pole. Ashrita had brought with her a fibreglass pole made of telescopic fibreglass that could be opened in sections to his desired height.

He decided to try a warm-up attempt of 15 metres (50ft). The distinctive red Turkish flag was attached to the pole’s tapered tip. It features a crescent moon and star. His assistants raised the pole vertically and brought it to his chin. The pole swung and bent in the wind, looking like a thin bamboo tree. The Turkish flag flapping around at the top pulled the pole away from its centre. Ashrita attempted to balance the pole onto his chin for a short time, but eventually gave up.