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Despite his 'record-breaking' run across Africa, Russ Cook claims he wasn't the first to do it (and was 14 years behind) by the World Runners Association.




Russ Cook, 27, ran from Cape Agulhas to Ras Angela, Tunisia, in 352 days, crossing 16 countries and surviving machete-wielding bandits, food poisoning and even visa problems.


Cook, 27, today celebrated after running 10,100 miles across Africa in 352 days. He crossed 16 countries and claimed to be the first person to ever run the length of the African continent.


A group of seven runners claimed that Danish athlete Jesper Olsen, 27, was the first person to ever run the length of the African continent, after he ran 7,949 miles from Taba in Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa in 434 days.


The World Runners Association claims that Jesper Kenn Olsen of Denmark is the first person to have run the length of Africa, despite Russ Cook's journey being 2,113 miles longer. and shorter in days (352 days versus 434 days for Jesper Olsen)


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