SingTel has successfully made an attempt to put Singapore back on top of the world’s fastest SMS texters proving that ‘Fast’ really is ‘Amazing’. Jeffrey Teo Yi Hao, 25, a web programmer, clocked a speed of 23.40 seconds – more than two seconds faster than the current world record – in a bid to smash the time of 25.94 seconds set by Melissa Thompson in London, UK, last year. SingTel will be submitting the time recorded by Jeffrey to Guinness World Records for its consideration.
Jeffrey was the fastest among four finalists at the SMS competition held on 18 September at Tampines Mall. The competition was held as part of the series of SingTel “Fast Is Amazing” roadshows in conjunction with the 2011 FORMULA 1TM SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. He won the competition despite only practising on it for the last two weeks after borrowing a touchscreen phone from his father. Incidentally, Jeffrey was one of the finalists in the 2008 SingTel SMS Shootout, narrowly beaten by Jeramy Sng Gim who achieved the world record.
Since Guinness World Records started to accept SMS records, the message it provided has remained the same: “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.”
The SMS message has to be accurately typed for the attempt to be recognised.
Previous records, using button mobile phones, had always been fought with a margin of less than one second. Jeffrey’s 2.6-second margin over the previous record holder is commendable for a competition keenly fought all over the world. Mr Ong Eng Huat, President of Singapore Book of Records, said “SMS texting at that kind of speed requires the discipline and training like those of the other sports. And in no other sport has Singapore been so consistently best in the world. It is the only sport which we have broken the world record for the fourth time.”
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