Onakoya and Martinez played chess for 60 hours to set a new world record for a marathon chess game.
Nigerian chess grandmaster, Tunde Onakoya, has commended his American counterpart, Shawn Martinez for standing by him throughout the 60-hour duration of his world record-breaking quest.
Martinez, the United States national chess master, stood as Onakoya's opponent for the Guinness World Record feat at Times Square in New York City.
The two chess enthusiasts competed for 60 hours, surpassing the target of 58 hours set by the Nigerian to eclipse the previous world record.
Showing his appreciation in a Twitter post on Saturday, April 20, 2024, Onakoya said his achievement would have been impossible without Martinez's contributions.
He said the two chess heads trumped competition to show the world the meaning of true collaboration.
"Dear Shawn (@CoachShawnMar), there’s no world record without you. Together, for 60 hours, we showed the world what true collaboration means, trumping competition.
"We picked each other up during tough moments, both mentally and physically. And you did it with so much grace. This is a public acknowledgement and gratitude to you, my brother. Congratulations on our shared achievement," Onakoya wrote.
