GIMLI – Inch by inch, grunt by grunt, Rob Kmet hopes to conquer the world.
The 44-year-old Manitoba strongman is attempting to set a new Guinness World Record for the farthest distance pushing a car in 24 hours.
“It’s a legitimate test of strength and endurance,” said Kmet. “You’re testing yourself. It’s how much you’ve got, how much fight you’ve got.”
To break the current record, Kmet has to complete 52 one-mile laps of Gimli’s Interlake Dragway all the while pushing a 2,400 pound Saturn SC1.
“He’s already starting to cramp up after nine laps,” said event coordinator Dean Russell. “We have to make sure he’s well hydrated and have Gatorade on hand and fruit to sustain him.
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Kmet is already a two-time world record holder. He set and later broke his own mark in the tandem car push. The Winnipegger started shoving vehicles when a friend’s car broke down.
“It was either a $60 tow or one-and-a-half miles to the service station,” said Kmet. “So I did that. In doing that I was like wow, this is crazy good exercise.”
Kmet is using this world record attempt to help raise awareness for the city’s homeless. He volunteers at Siloam Mission and says the pain he sees there is far greater than his.
“My suffering ends after 24 hours,” said Kmet. “Sometimes other people, depending what they’re going through, their suffering can last a lifetime.”
Kmet’s challenge comes to an end at 8:15 Saturday morning.
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