Colombian Cyclist Smashes World Record

Colombian cyclist Javier Zapata Cuartas has once again shattered a world record by cycling up 223 steps without ever touching the ground. This remarkable feat unfolded on the stairs linking the ‘Las Independencias’ neighborhood to the famous Comuna 13 of Medellin.

The 51-year-old athlete accomplished this incredible feat in front of a captivated audience of hundreds of children on Saturday, April 27. Showcasing his remarkable prowess behind the handlebars, he traversed a distance of 1.4 kilometers, navigating a 310-meter elevation gain, and set the new record in a remarkable time of 8 minutes and 14 seconds.

Zapata spent at least four months practicing to achieve the ‘Comuna 13 Stairs Challenge’, which consists of at least six sections. This event, in addition to being a sporting feat, aims to promote cycling, urban culture, and social transformation in the Comuna.

Colombian cyclist makes history in Medellin

The athlete began his career at the age of 9 in BMX and went on to win multiple national and international titles. In 1995, he discovered his current discipline and combined it with his career in social communication to make it his lifestyle. Throughout many years of competition, this athlete, on the wheels of his bicycle, has climbed towering structures such as the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, the Torre Mayor in Mexico City, the Coltejer building and the Peñol de Guatape, both in Medellin.

Zapata spent at least four months practicing to achieve his latest goal in the ‘Comuna 13 Stairs Challenge’, which consists of at least six sections. The Biketrial discipline, an extreme sport on mountain bikes, demands exceptional skill, precision, and a keen sense of balance. This sport is not as widely practiced as other cycling sports such as gravel, BMX, cyclocross, or road cycling.

Javier Zapata owns five Guinness World Records

Javier Zapata is the only Colombian athlete with five officially recognized records by the Guinness World Records organization. His name appears in the printed editions of this renowned publication in 2000 (page 64), 2004 (page 263), 2005, and 2010 editions:

1. He ascended the 41 floors of the Colpatria Tower in Bogota, with a total height of 196 meters.
2. He conquered the 52 floors of the Bancolombia Building in Medellin, reaching a height of 200 meters.
3. He surpassed the 47 floors of the Torre del Mar Hotel in Panama, ascending a total of 182 meters.
4. He reached the top of the 50 floors of the JW Marriott Bogota Hotel, with a height of 212 meters.
5. New record by climbing the 1,066 steps of the RIU Plaza Guadalajara Hotel in Mexico, with a total height of 470 meters.