Bruce Ives, a resident of Daajing Giids, was confirmed to be the record holder as the worldB次元官网网址檚 oldest man to do a headstand after his granddaughter received an email from Guinness World Records on Jan. 9.

At 82 years and 43 days old, Ives performed his record-breaking headstand on Aug. 7, 2022.

He learned how to balance on his head more than 65 years ago from a high school physical education teacher in Leamington, Ont.

Decades later, Ives was in his 60B次元官网网址檚. He was playing with his grandchildren when he tried again.

B次元官网网址淲e just decided to try to do it and the person who could stay up the longest won,B次元官网网址� he said.

Since then, he has made it a tradition to do a headstand every year on his birthday, June 25.

His granddaughter, Isabelle Romas, had the idea to apply for the Guinness World Record during his most recent birthday when a guest at the party suggested he must hold the record already.

B次元官网网址淲e all thought, no, probably not. ThereB次元官网网址檚 probably some older person out there who has it, who has been training in yoga for years,B次元官网网址� Romas said.

However, when they checked online, they learned the current record holder was a 75-year-old man from Quebec and Ives was seven years his senior.

Romas applied for her grandfather to attempt to break the record and started planning for the day.

One of the Guinness World RecordB次元官网网址檚 requirements is that certain people have to witness and verify the feat. Three RCMP officers attended IvesB次元官网网址� record-breaking headstand, as well as the principal of the high school, a health professional and family members, including IvesB次元官网网址� wife, daughter and granddaughter.

To break the record, he had to hold the position for at least 15 seconds. While he had done a headstand for much longer before, he said it was windy that day which made it more difficult.

Weather notwithstanding, he successfully completed the headstand and Romas sent the proof away to be confirmed.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really lucky to be able to do this, I think,B次元官网网址� Ives said. B次元官网网址淥ut of all my friends, I think IB次元官网网址檓 the only one who has that strength still in my body.B次元官网网址�

He said he is active daily and still tries to bring in most of his own firewood to heat his home.

Ives believes being short may also make the move easier.

B次元官网网址淢y centre of balance is a little lower than most of the big guys, so I think it might be a little easier for me,B次元官网网址� he said.

On Jan. 9, when Romas told her grandfather he was officially the new record holder he was very excited.

B次元官网网址淥ur entire family is just so proud of him. ItB次元官网网址檚 one of the coolest things to happen to us. IB次元官网网址檓 just so glad that he got to have this,B次元官网网址� Romas said.

She added that she has never been able to do a headstand herself.

Another B.C. man, Richard de la Mare from Sechelt, briefly held the record before Ives. He was 77 years old when he did a headstand on Aug. 26, 2022. While his headstand was conducted after IvesB次元官网网址�, it was confirmed first, which allowed him to claim the title for a short period of time.