A north-east mum-of-three has smashed a global benchmark to set a new world record for flipping a 19-stone tyre.
Strongwoman Rachael Routledge heaved the imposing weight an incredible 221 times within an hour – crushing the previous 100 benchmark for females.
The endurance event has earned the 39-year-old student a place in the Guinness World Records after initially lifting the tyre to stay warm while training outside during the winter lockdown.
‘I just kept telling myself I could do it’
Mrs Routledge set herself the target to smash female stereotypes of fitness while also demonstrating people can achieve their goals.
The health and fitness student was cheered by a boisterous and lively crowd at the Moray Sports Centre in Elgin.
And the RAF reservist, who lives in Lhanbryde, could hear the cheers of support over her headphones and motivational playlist containing a mix of heavy metal, dance and cheesy pop hits.
Incredible support for Rachael Routledge to set a new world record for static tyre flips.
An amazing total of flipping the 123.2kg weight 221 times within an hour! 💪👏 pic.twitter.com/Rxs3lYCGXH
— David Mackay (@DaveFeatures) June 27, 2021
She said: “I just kept telling myself I could do it. I knew the figure I wanted to get to in my head, 220, so I just kept repeating the number again and again – that’s where I wanted to get to.
“When you get to 120 it gets tough – that’s when you start to lose your grip and the doubt starts creeping into your head.
“That’s what I really had to dig deep and tell the demon to bog off.”
‘I want to show women the possibilities are limitless’
Mrs Routledge was previously a keen runner before injuries forced her to turn in a different direction to stay fit.
And the Moray College UHI hopes the tyre flipping world record challenge will show other women that they too can achieve their personal goals.
She said: “I suppose I wanted to show that you can be fit, strong and healthy while not fitting into a size six.
“You can realistically do things like this if you really want to.
“Everybody is capable of lifting heavy things, it’s what we are made for.
“And I want to show, to women in particular, that the possibilities are limitless. You only limit yourself when you walk into a gym.”