A FITNESS enthusiast may well have burpee-d his way to a world record while raising thousands of pounds for charity.

Andrew Dubowski, the head of Chineham-based international business development at Ortho Consulting Group, took to the gym on Saturday last week to attempt to complete a 3,000-metre challenge.

He was successful in his aim to complete 3,000 full body flat burpees along a track, jumping forward one metre after each movement, an amount which would set a new world record.

The whole event was recorded and is now currently with the Guinness Book of World Records team for verification, but given that the course was measured and laid out correctly, it should just be a waiting game for fitness fan Andrew.

The effort took him four hours and 13 minutes in total to complete.

On Monday, Andrew told The Gazette: “I’m certainly feeling a bit stiff now, but there has been no lasting damage done.

“It was surprisingly harder than the training that I had put in. Even though I was regularly doing 1,000m per session, it was more difficult than I thought.

“I really started feeling the strain about 1,000m in, persevered all the way to 2,500m, but the last 500m was the hardest part.

“I was wheezing when I managed to get over the line, I really went to the max.”

The effort was mostly a fundraising effort to help two charities close to Andrew’s heart: Barnardo’s and The Limbless Association.

So far, Andrew has raised £2,500 for the pair, which, including Gift Aid, has meant that he has hit his target of £3,000.

Andrew added: “There was a good sense of achievement to finish the event, and to see how much we had raised for the charities, as that’s what the event was really about.

“While it is nice to have the hook of the record attempt, it really is all about helping out these two organisations. There is hopefully still more to come as well.”

The success was an early 45th birthday present for Andrew, who celebrated it the next day.

There were around 20 people consistently in the Optimal Health and Performance Ltd gym, in Little London, giving Andrew a morale boost with some cheering to keep his spirits up.

There was also a second track next to Andrew’s, and donors joined him for a few rounds of the track. Even Andrew’s sons, Freddie, eight, and Seth, five, had a go.

To support Andrew in his fundraising effort, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndrewDubowski.