Singaporean sets SMS world speed record

26 words in 43 seconds

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Mobile, 28th June 2004 10:49 GMT

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A Singaporean woman yesterday thumbed her way into the record books by winning the SingTel SMS Shootout - a competition to find the world's fastest texter.

Kimberly Yeo, 23, entered 26 words in just 43.24 seconds to claim the title at Singapore's Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza against 125 rival quick-thumb artists. The impressive - if singularly pointless - achievement secured Yeo a cool $17,500, free subscription to SingTel’s Premium 1500 mobile plan and a top-of-the range Nokia mobe. The previous record holder was Brit James Trusler, who clocked up 67 seconds during a textational 2003 display in Sydney.

Yeo had to tap in a text supplied by Guinness World Records. No predictive text or other aids were permitted, and this piece of piscine trivia had to correctly transcribed:

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.

Yeo is reported to be "an avid SMS user", sending an average of 1,500 texts a month. SingTel director Mr Ivan Tan noted: " Singaporeans are among the heaviest SMS users in the world and we were confident that there exists a world record breaker among us."

SingTel will now submit Yeo's time to Guinness World Records for their consideration. Whether the company will ask the International Olympic Committee to formally recognise the sport is not noted. ®