An Australian performance artist has set a Guinness world record by swallowing 18 swords at the same time.
Chayne Hultgren, also known as the Space Cowboy, beat his own 2008 record by swallowing the swords, each 72cm (28.35in) long, at an event in Sydney.
He said that while the stunt was not dangerous, he had spent many hours training for it.
After setting the record, Mr Hultgren, 31, described it as definitely one of his greatest achievements so far.
Mr Hultgren started practising with swords at the age of 16 and says he has used different methods to perfect the art.
"I stretch my throat with hoses and use a few different techniques to basically enable me to do what, until now, has been impossible".
"I don't just straightaway grab 18 blades and shove them down my throat - you've got to practise a lot and build up to it," he says.
Achievements
Hultgren has won the Street Performance World Championship twice in a row.
He has broken six world records, including most swords swallowed, then broke that record again, this time scoring 27 swords at the Irish Street Performance Festival (although this 27 swords record is unofficial) and on the 8th february 2010 the BBC recorded that he broke this official world record by swallowing 18 swords. He also broke the longest distance pulling 400 kg by fishhooks in his eye sockets. He also holds the record for heaviest weight lifted while swallowing a sword. Other records include most sword swallowers swallowing the same object simultaneously (the four steel legs of the same bar stool, with three other people)
Hultgren holds many "world firsts" such as first double sword swallow, first sword swallow underwater, and his signature trick "The Black and Decker Digestion Wrecker" a power drill with sword attachment which he swallows, and first person to publicly swallow a sword underwater in a tank of live sharks. He was also reported to be the youngest working sword-swallower in Australia, when he was 22 years old.
He is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians.
