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Chilling feat: Clark sets ice cream speed-eating record
If verified by the Guinness World Records, Jim Clark of Spring Lake Park would hold his 35th Guinness World Record
ERIK NELSON Sports Reporter
Spring Lake Park native and ERHS wrestling alumnus Jim Clark has won gold medals in jiu-jitsu, but earlier this month in Ireland, he set a world record for something else.
Clark, 61, set the mark for the fastest time to eat an ice cream cone, as he did it in 24.72 seconds, beating out the previous record, which was 24.97 seconds.
“ Even though it was an eating one, it still has the elements of pain endurance,” Clark said.“ I did the most sit-ups in 24 hours. After doing 12 hours of that, could I tolerate the pain for the last 12 hours? My stomach muscles were all shredded. No one has broken my sit-up record since because very few people could endure that amount of pain for that amount of time.
“ The ice cream one... people will quit that one too because of the brain freeze. I’ ve seen people try to do it and they’ ll stop after 10 seconds, [ then ] put the ice cream cone down. It seemed like a bargain. I’ ve done most push-ups for 24 hours, I’ ve done most sit-ups for 24 hours. I only had to endure pain for 24.72 seconds. I’ d never even practiced this. When I broke the record for sit-ups, I would do sit-ups for four or five hours. I figured I could do it because I could withstand the pain for 24 seconds. It turns out I was right.”
Clark has Irish ancestry on both sides of his family. When it comes to his
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Jim Clark of Spring Lake Park( center), a graduate of Elk River High School and a former wrestler for the Elks, broke a world record for the quickest time to eat an ice cream cone during a trip to Ireland earlier this month. Here, he’ s joined by a few friends along with his son, Josh Clark( in green). Jim Clark said he received more publicity for breaking an ice cream record than any other record he has set. If verified by the Guiness Book of World Records, it will be the 35th record he owns. The ice cream parlor he ate at is called Teddy’ s, a national chain in Ireland. While he ate a vanilla cone to set the record, his actual favorite flavor is chocolate.
favorite ice cream flavor, he said his is chocolate. Ironically, the cone he ate was vanilla ice cream.
Clark’ s son, Josh Clark, who is the owner-operator of Valhalla Combat Sports in Rogers, said it’ s amazing. Jim Clark founded Valhalla Combat Sports in 2008, and last month, the gym celebrated its 17th anniversary.
“ Ever since I was little, I’ d seen him break a world record,” Clark said.“ He turned 61 a couple weeks ago, and he’ s still competing at a high level at black belt. I want to be able to compete in my 60s, too. He’ s an inspiration for sure.”
Clark said he’ s received more publicity for eating ice cream than any other record he’ s set. His achievement has been chronicled by both American and Irish media outlets, including Fox 9.
“ For the sit-up record, I was on David Letterman,” he said.“ I was on eight different TV stations for breaking the ice cream record. I didn’ t even advertise it. Teddy’ s is the chain of ice cream parlors in Ireland. They’ re the ones who posted it. People saw it and it went viral from there.”
If Clark’ s ice cream record is verified by Guinness World Records, it will be Clark’ s 35th Guinness World record.
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Josh Clark( in green) and his father, Jim Clark, enjoy ice cream during a trip to Ireland.