Flippin' amazing: UK gymnast sets incredible backflip world record on horizontal bars (VIDEO)

23 Nov, 2018 11:41

British gymnast Ashley Watson propelled himself into the world record books when he pulled off an incredible backflip between horizontal bars almost 20 feet apart.

Watson, 26, is a longtime member of Team GB and registered the incredible feat at Leeds Gymnastics Club in the UK.

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The distance was officially registered at 5.87 meters, and was confirmed as a new record by two independent witnesses and a chartered surveyor who took the measurements.

Watson shared the gravity-defying leap on his Instagram account.

Incredibly, he is said to have pulled off the backflip twice – but deleted the first footage as he was unhappy because his legs bent on landing.

"It was amazing, I didn't realize I had caught it until I was swinging around on the other bar," Watson said, according to the Sun.

"I caught it on the sixth attempt but I let my legs bend a bit – so I couldn't let that one go out on film."

Watson has previously competed at the British and European Championships, and has been a member of Team GB since the age of 15.  

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He frequently posts clips of his prowess and various feats of daring - also comparing himself to the famous 'Moutain' character from Game of Thrones, played by giant Icelandic bodybuilder Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.

On this evidence, he seems a bit more agile than the giant Icelander would be on the bars.