Wait, what? Runner Sufiya Sufi receives Guinness World Records certificate after 2-year delay, blames 'Customs'

The delay a Guinness World Records certificate took to reach its rightful owner was documented by India's long-distance runner Sufiya Sufi. She blamed the bottlenecks and obstacles of delivery gateways, including Customs, that made it take years to arrive at its destination.

Sufiya Sufi secured the title after she completed the gruelling Manali–Leh high-altitude run in less than 100 hours. This was a remarkable feat as no other woman has achieved so far. She covered nearly 480 kilometre distance on foot in 98 hours and 27 minutes.

Sufiya Sufi in a post on X on Sturdy stated, “The fastest run from Manali to Leh, across all five high passes. 🏔️🏃🏻‍♀️A high altitude endurance running challenge with elevation gain of more than 8500 meters.”

Blaming Indian Customs for the 2-year long delay, she added, "The record was made and approved in 2023, but the Official Certificate decided to take the scenic route through delivery gateways and Indian Customs. Now it’s finally home."

In the fastest run from Manali to Leh, she crossed five high mountain passes in the Himalayas. Expressing gratitude, she concluded the post with the statement, “Grateful. Proud. And from a full heart thank you to my sponsors and everyone who trusted, supported, and believed in me.”

This challenge involved an elevation gain of more than 8,500 metres, which made it one of the toughest long-distance running routes in the world.

A user wrote, “This is absolutely insane, in the best way. Covering Manali to Leh at that altitude is brutal, and finishing under 100 hours shows unreal grit and discipline. Records are great, but the perseverance behind this is even bigger.”

Another user remarked, “Congratulations, Sufiya. I did this route by bike and know how challenging those high passes can get. Your achievement is really commendable. What's next for you?”

A third user stated, “An astonishing feat! We felt it was challenging on motorcycles in our 20s.”

A fourth comment read, “Whoa, this is an incredible accomplishment. Perhaps this will serve as an inspiration to the younger energetic lot who are presently clogging these scenic places with their vehicles and rowdy behavior.”

Sufiya Sufi holds several other major titles on her name, including multiple Guinness World Records. She became the fastest woman to run from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Established as one of India’s most accomplished endurance runners, she also completed the Golden Quadrilateral run by covering a massive distance of over 6,000 km. In just 110 days, she covered four major cities in the Quadrilateral run.