High school girls often flip out over homecoming, but 16-year-old Mikayla Clark of Westlake High School near Atlanta took the notion to a whole new level as she back flipped her way into the record books by doing 44 consecutive back handsprings. The dizzying feat eclipsed the previous record of 36 and earned Mikayla a place in the Guinness Book of World Records!
Here’s the mind-blowing video, but be forewarned that those of you with a propensity for dizziness and a queasy stomach may want to skip the clip altogether.
West Lake High School celebrated Mikayla’s amazing accomplishment on Twitter:
SHE DID IT!! Mikayla broke the Guinness World Record for consecutive back handsprings! We’re so proud of you! #GoLions
— Westlake High School (@westlakelions) October 19, 2013
We’ll also be adding Mikayla’s cheerleading shoes to the trophy case to celebrate her amazing athleticism! — Westlake High School (@westlakelions) October 22, 2013
Mikayla later talked with Atlanta’s Fox 5 about her record-setting performance, and revealed the whole thing happened after a bit of near-random Googling. “I was looking at world records and I just happened to see the most consecutive back handsprings,” Mikayla says. “I clicked on the link and I was like, ‘Oh, she did 36,’ and I said, ‘I think I can beat that.'”
At first, Mikayla’s mother Erica Clark was a bit skeptical, but it didn’t take long for her to come around and become a believer. “She started at football games and they would do a tumble line,” tells Fox 5. “She started 10, then she started 20 and one night she got up to 32. I said, ‘Okay Mikayla, the record is 36 –you don’t have that many more to go.'”
Mikayla’s next attempt came at West Lake’s homecoming game last Friday night when she broke the record. Here’s her interview with Fox 5:
Mikayla is only a junior and told the station that her record-breaking days may not be over. “My senior year, I’m going to flip field goal to field goal and try to break my record,” Mikayla says. She later reflected proudly on her accomplishment. “Most people can say, ‘Well, I won state, I did this.’ Now I can say I’m a world record holder.”
And since it’s Throwback Thursday, let’s take a look at a video report on a previous record holder, Miranda Ferguson of Texas, who broke the record back in 2012 after doing 35 consecutive back handsprings:
I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping the publicity surrounding Mikayla’s feat will inspire young girls and help back handsprings replace twerking as the teen girl extracurricular activity du jour!
UPDATE – The New York Daily News has since done a bit of raining on Mikayla’s parade:
A spokesman for the renowned record book tells The News that a Guinness World Records rep “was not there to verify,” meaning that Clark’s record is invalid.
Even if a representative would have been present to record Clark’s backflip attempt, the impressive 44 back-to-back handsprings wouldn’t have been enough.
“Another woman from Texas bested this by doing 53 back handsprings,” the spokesperson said, adding that the feat has not yet been publicized since it is set to air on a U.K television show later this fall.
Danged media! They (we) ruin everything! And what are them Brits doing in Texas recording a super secret reality show anyways?!?
