A Thai woman set a new Guinness World Record for running the fastest marathon dressed in Thai traditional attire at the London Marathon 2023 on Sunday.
Dr. Shrinya Kanchanasewi or Dr. Miyu, a 30-year-old dentist based in Bangkok, set a new Guinness World Record for “the fastest marathon dressed in Thai traditional dress” at the London Marathon last weekend. After completing the 41-kilometer race in just three hours and 45 minutes, Dr. Miyu achieved the world record and became the first person to ever hold this particular accolade.
Dr. Miyu participated in the annual marathon wearing a Thai traditional outfit, including a silk breast wrapper, a traditional Thai lower-body garment, and a traditional Thai headdress. Her running trainers were the only non-traditional Thai element of the outfit. Her decision to wear traditional attire was to promote Thai culture, which she described as the country’s “soft power”.
She explained that people who wish to participate in the London Marathon wearing “fancy” outfits can submit a request to get into the Guinness World Records. Dr. Miyu received a certificate from the Guinness World Records for her accomplishment, which she posted on her Facebook.
The 30-year-old dentist’s post received a lot of positive feedback from social media users who praised her ambition and creativity.
Dr. Miyu’s inspiration to compete at the London Marathon dressed in traditional Thai clothing highlights not only her commitment to her heritage but also her role as an ambassador for her roots.
