A Swedish father has set a Guinness World Record after cramming 81 matches into his nose in an effort to impress his kids.
Martin Stroby, 42, took on the challenge after his two children told him it would be “so cool” to see him in the Guinness Book of World Records while flipping through its pages at home.
Stroby officially claimed the title for most matches held in the nose in August with a total of 81. The previous record was 68. He said the idea came from his kids’ excitement, which pushed him to look for a category he felt he could realistically attempt.
Dad shatters previous record of 68 matches
He began by testing one nostril and managed to fit 35 matches, which convinced him he had a shot at breaking the full record. Stroby said that despite the discomfort, he realized he could stretch his nostrils and tolerate the sensation well enough to go for the attempt.
During early trial runs, matches kept falling out, so he experimented with different techniques until he found a method that minimized the number dropping to the ground. When the day came, he set up outside, drew a small crowd, and completed the attempt.
Stroby said his motivation was centered on making his kids proud. He described wanting to be the kind of father they could look up to, the same way he looks up to his own dad, and hoped this unusual record would give them something memorable.
His kids now consider him “incredibly cool,” though they were confused about how so many matches fit into what they described as his “regular-sized nostrils.” Strpby hasn’t committed to breaking another record yet, but he’s confident his children will try to talk him into another attempt.
Back in September, a Vietnamese artist went viral after breaking the world record for fingernail length with nails longer than a giraffe’s neck.
