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Hopping mad Jack eyes new record

Most people think he's hopping mad.

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But that doesn't worry extreme pogo jumper Jack Sexty, who has his sights set on his third world record.

He caused amazement when he completed a full 26-mile marathon on his pogo stick back in April.

It took student Jack more than 16 hours to hop his way around Manchester and he broke two world records in the process.

Jack is going for a record in Sweden
Jack's flying high

Now 24-year-old Jack, from Penkridge, hopes to smash the one-mile pogo record.

The man known as 'Mr Pogo' is venturing overseas for his latest crazy challenge, which takes place during the Pogopalooza world championship series in Helsingborg, Sweden, tomorrow.

No falls are permitted and Jack must pogo his way to the mile finish line in 12 minutes and 15 seconds to beat the record.

And with some Rocky-style training behind him at Aldersley Stadium in Wolverhampton, jumping Jack is confident of setting a new world record.

"I'm taking this one pretty seriously," he said.

"Training has been good, I've been training a lot at Aldersley where I run with Wolverhampton and Bilston Athletics Club.

"So I've been running there in the week and then on the pogo around the same track at the weekend.

"My dad comes and shouts split times at me, it's like Rocky."

Jack comes back down to earth

Jack has also been training nearer to his home and admits he gets some peculiar looks when hopping around the street of Penkridge.

He said: "Yes, you do get people shouting at you.

"But the worst thing is indifference, when people just walk past you and pretend they haven't seen anything.

"I get cars stopping and people looking at me, it can be a bit strange."

April's Greater Manchester Marathon pogo was a huge success, with Jack raising £2,500 for the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and Alzheimer's Research UK.

He also broke the world records for the longest distance pogoed in 24 hours and the fastest marathon on a pogo stick.

He is fundraising for the same two charities this time round.

He hopes to draw a large crowd in Helsingborg next to the mile-long course which has been marked out for him on the harbour front.

But raising money for charity is just as important.

Jack, who studies journalism at Staffordshire University, said: "A close relative of mine is unfortunately battling Alzheimer's disease so Alzheimer's Research UK is a charity which resonates with me and my family."

Visit this website to donate.

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