Reviewed by Omotolani Ajileye
Table of Contents
What can you do in one minute?
Maybe you can answer a few questions, dribble a basketball, name some animals or even finish a quick snack. But what if someone told you that some young people around the world can do things in just one minute that would leave most of us completely amazed?
From lightning-fast mental mathematics to incredible basketball skills and an extraordinary knowledge of dinosaurs, young record-breakers are showing the world that age does not have to stop you from developing an amazing skill.
Welcome to another edition of Fun Fact Friday, part of Geeky Nigeria’s Children’s Special 2026!
This week’s Future Leaders theme has explored different qualities that can help children grow into capable, responsible and creative adults.
So, today, let us take a break from the usual lessons and discover three real world records achieved by young people that might make you say, “Wow!”
Did You Know? A 16-Year-Old Can Add 50 Five-Digit Numbers in Just 18.71 Seconds!
Imagine seeing 50 different five-digit numbers appear one after another and being asked to add all of them together – without using a calculator, pen or paper, by the way. This sounds almost kind of impossible, right?
Well, Aaryan Chukka, a 16-year-old mental mathematics champion from India, has done exactly that.
Guin ness World Records lists Aaryan as the record holder for the fastest time to mentally add 50 five-digit numbers, a challenge he completed in just 18.71 seconds in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 6 December 2024. That works out at less than half a second for each number! Almost funny to say that’s not even the only incredible thing about Aaryan, bec@use he is a multiple Guinness World Records holder in mental calculation and has also won the Mental Calculation World Cup.
Aaryan developed an interest in mental mathematics from a young age and has spent years practising and competing. His story shows that extraordinary skills can grow from something as simple as developing an interest and pract ising it regularly.
Geeky Challenge: How quickly can you add five two-digit numbers in your head? Ask someone to give you five numbers and see if you can calculate the answer without using a calculator!
Did You Know? A Nigerian Boy Broke His Own Football World Record?
What would you do if someone asked you to keep a football in the air while balancing another football on your head? Sounds difficult, right? Now imagine having to do it 133 times in just one minute!
That is exactly what Nigerian football freestyle star Chinonso Eche, popularly known as Amazing Kid Eche, achieved. Chinonso became a Guinness World Records titleholder after setting his first record in 2019, when he completed 111 consecutive football touches in one minute while balancing a football on his head. But he did not stop there.
In February 2023, Chinonso returned to attempt the same record, and this time, he did even better. On the set of Lo Show Dei Record in Milan, Italy, he completed an incredible 133 consecutive football touches in one minute while balancing a football on his head, beating his own previous record by 22 touches. That is not the only Guinness World Records achievement connected to Amazing Kid Eche.
In October 2021, when he was 13, Chinonso achieved three additional football freestyle records in Nigeria. He completed 1,000 football touches while balancing a ball on his head in 7 minutes and 46 seconds, performed 233 football headers in a prone position in one minute, and recorded 197 football touches while seated and balancing a ball on his head in one minute. That’s several Guinness World Records titles from one young Nigerian football freestyler!
Chinonso’s story is also interesting because his talent was noticed when he was still very young, and according to Guinness World Records, he started putting more time into football freestyle at around eight years old after being inspired by videos of famous footballers. He also practised regularly, including before school.
Next time you see someone practising a skill over and over again, do well to remember “Amazing Kid Eche”. What may look like a simple hobby can become an extraordinary talent when someone keeps learning, practising and improving.
Geeky Challenge
Do you think you could keep a football in the air 10 times without letting it touch the ground?
Give it a try, but remember to practise in a safe, open space! If you cannot do it the first time, don’t worry. Even Amazing Kid Eche had to practise before he became a Guinness World Records star.
Who knows what amazing skill you could develop next?
Did You Know? A Five-Year-Old Can Identify 46 Dinosaurs in One Minute!
If you love dinosaurs, this one is definitely for you!
Meet Avyukt Singh from India. At just five years old, Avyukt achieved the Guinness World Records title for the most dinosaurs identified in one minute. On 8 February 2026, he correctly identified 46 different dinosaurs in one minute; with the previous record being 41, meaning Avyukt managed to identify five more dinosaurs than the previous record-holder. Hold on and think about that for a moment!
You have only 60 seconds, and you have to look at dinosaur images and correctly identify them one after another. Even remembering the names of 46 dinosaurs would be a challenge for so many people.
Avyukt’s achievement also reminds us that learning does not always have to feel like sitting down with a textbook. If you are fascinated by dinosaurs, space, animals, football, technology, cars, history or anything else, that interest can encourage you to learn more.
Perhaps you know the names of many footballers. Maybe you can identify dozens of animals. Perhaps you can name planets, recognise different cars or remember the lyrics to countless songs. The point here is that: sometimes, curiosity can turn an ordinary interest into an extraordinary skill.
Geeky Challenge: Set a timer for one minute and write down as many dinosaur names as you can remember. You do not need to know 46, just see how many you can get.
What Can We Learn From These Amazing Records?
A human calculator, a young football freestyle record-breaker and a five-year-old dinosaur expert may seem completely different from one another. And yes, they are.
There is something however, they have in common, and that is the fact that they developed a skill that interested them and kept working at it.
Aaryan Shukla became fascinated by mental mathematics, Chinonso developed his football freestyle ability through practice, and Avyukt’s love of dinosaurs helped him build an impressive knowledge of different species.
The truth here is: you do not have to break a world record in order to be successful. In fact, most people will never hold a Guinness World Records title, and that my friends, is perfectly fine. The important thing is to discover what interests you and give yourself the chance to become better at it.
Maybe you are already good at something, or maybe you are still searching for your special interest. Either way, keep exploring. Try new activities, ask questions, read about things that fascinate you, practise your skills, learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to discover something you never knew you could do.
Your Turn to Explore!
Now that you have read about these three incredible young record-breakers, here’s a question for you: If you could attempt to break a world record, what would you choose?
Would you try a sports record? A mathematics challenge? A memory test? Perhaps you would create a completely new record based on something you love.
You never know; the skill you are practising today could become something extraordinary tomorrow. Even if you never make it into a record book, learning something new and becoming better at what you love is already an achievement worth celebrating.
Dear friends, keep learning, keep practising and keep discovering your talents. Who knows? The next amazing young record-breaker could be you! [We are rooting for you]
This article is part of Geeky Nigeria’s Children’s Special 2026, celebrating curious minds, young learners and the incredible possibilities that begin with curiosity.
Happy Fun Fact Friday!
