A nurse from London set a new world record for the fastest time completing the London Marathon while wearing a nurse's uniform, but officials say it doesn't count.Jessica Anderson, who works as a nurse at Royal London Hospital, shattered the previous record by 30 seconds with a time of 3.08:22.
Unfortunately for Anderson, officials from Guinness World Records told her that in order to qualify for the record she was required to wear a more traditional nurse's uniform. The uniform consists of a blue or white dress, an apron, and a traditional cap.
Anderson was told before the race that she would not qualify for the record if she wore her scrubs, but she decided to run in them anyway.
"I was quite taken aback when I read that they'd rejected my application and I did email them to ask them to reconsider, but they said no. I get that it's supposed to be a fun thing, but their definition is just so outdated,"Anderson explained to Runner's World magazine. "Some of the nurses I work with do wear dresses, but mostly we wear scrubs or a tunic and trousers. I've certainly never seen a male nurse wearing a dress to work."
Guinness World Records issued a brief statement saying they plan to review their guidelines associated with the record.
"Inclusiveness and respect are values that Guinness World Records holds extremely dear and while we always need to ensure we can differentiate between categories, it is quite clear that this record title and associated guidelines is long overdue a review which we will conduct as a priority in the coming days."