My Badge. My Story. My Testimony

By John Obot

THE Guinness World Records has officially issued my Digital Record Holder Badge, confirming me as one of the Official Guinness World Record Holders for the Longest Marathon Reading Aloud by a Team.

As I await the arrival of the physical certificate plaque from London, I find myself reflecting—not just on the victory—but on the journey that shaped it.

This badge is not merely a mark of success.
It is a symbol of grace through humiliation, strength through pain, and fire born out of mockery.

After the unsuccessful attempt of 2023, many laughed.
Some mocked openly. Others pretended to sympathize but mocked in silence.
Ironically, many of those who ridiculed the failure were the very ones who once wanted to shine in my spotlight—who sought to use my vision to amplify their names.
But when that didn’t come to pass, they turned their disappointment into disdain.

What they never knew was that their mockery became my motivation.
Their ridicule became fuel for the fire that burned within me.
Their rejection became the reason I refused to give up.

That fire carried me through the months of planning, the endless hours of coordination, and the sleepless nights of execution.
It pushed me to lead—not just as a Lead Marathoner, but as the Technical Lead of a brilliant and fearless team determined to make history.

Every sneer was a spark.
Every insult, a reminder of what was at stake.
Every attempt to silence me only amplified my resolve.

Today, with this official badge of honour, I stand as living proof that failure is never final and mockery never defines destiny.
True strength is not measured by how loud the applause is, but by how firm your faith stands when the world laughs at your fall.

So, to everyone who doubted, laughed, and mocked—thank you.
You were the unexpected architects of my determination.
And to those who believed, supported, and stood by—the glory of this moment belongs to you too.

From rejection to recognition.
From failure to fulfilment.
From mockery to the Marathon of Immortality.

I did not just read for the record. I read to rewrite what was possible.

Mr. John Obot