Ololade Ayelabola, a Nigerian model, is the new record holder for the longest distance walked by a model on a catwalk, according to Guinness World Records (GWR).
GWR revealed in a blog post on Monday that the model, who is now a University of Lagos (UNILAG) graduate, achieved a new record by catwalking over 125 kilometres.
The previous record of 114.4 km, achieved by Roberta Brown and Lorraine McCourt in Dublin, Ireland, on September 19 and 21, 1983, was surpassed by her attempt.
“The longest distance walked on a catwalk by a model is 125.11 km (77.74 mi) and was achieved by Ololade Ayelabola (Nigeria), in Lagos, Nigeria on 1 October 2024,” the post reads.
In an Instagram video celebrating her achievement, the model advised everyone to chase their dreams courageously and make them a reality.
“Dare to dream and make your dream a reality,” she said.
Ayelabola previously stated that the attempt was motivated by two rejections from fashion shows owing to her height.
She went on to say that her goal is to challenge preconceptions, promote diversity in fashion, and highlight the originality of Nigeria’s fashion sector.
The attempt by Ayelabola took place on October 1, 2024, at UNILAG’s indoor sports centre.
She wore Nigerian designer clothing, including the UNILAG theatre arts department’s collection, while on the walk.
Additionally, 34 other models on the runway supported Ayelabola.
