A UK therapist has broken the world record for the most backflips in 30 seconds – while on fire.
Ryan Luney, 29, completed the trick seven times in rapid succession to clinch his seventh world record, while his father Alan operated the stopwatch.
The Brit made history in a rented warehouse in April, contending with burnt tracksuit bottoms and smoky air.
Describing the feat, he told The Times: ‘I had to walk constantly so I wouldn’t suffocate, and the fire wouldn’t overwhelm me.’
Thankfully he had his stunt co-ordinator John Mulvey armed with an extinguisher and poised to throw in a towel just in case things went awry.
At the end, the daredevil could breathe a sigh of relief, escaping largely unscathed, albeit with a ‘slightly burnt throat’.
He also suffered a heat rash on his back following the stunt.
Mr Luney, from Carrickfergus, near Belfast, had already bagged the record for the longest reverse vault by 2017.
Ryan Luney pictured completing his world record feat of seven backflips in 30 seconds while on fire
The UK therapist clinched his seventh world record, while his father Alan operated the stopwatch
Mr Luney (pictured), from Carrickfergus, near Belfast, had already bagged the record for the longest reverse vault by 2017 before getting another in 2019
He then set about learning to spit fire mid-air and within months had achieved the most fire-breathing backflips, breaking it again two years later in 2019 with an incredible tally of 19.
He revealed he had been inspired by popular American daredevil show Jackass, despite warnings on the series not to copy the featured stunts.
But soon he hit a brick wall.
‘I thought, where to go from here?’ he said. ‘I considered a fire-eating backflip, but it’s actually quite hard to see where you’re putting [the flame] in mid-air.’
With seemingly no frontiers left to conquer and at a dismal loose end, he suddenly had a brain wave: to do as may backflips in 30 seconds as he could while entirely on fire.
Video of the trailblazing achievement shows Mr Luney being set ablaze by his coordinator before executing a series of perfect flips.
He later described the unlikely cold sensation that washed over him as he completed the stunt, due to the fact he was wearing two tops coated in protective gel which had been left in the fridge for a day.
His fiancée Zoe Woods was there to cheer him on but his mother Catherine simply couldn’t bear to watch.
The daredevil pictured being lit on fire by his coordinator at the start of the incredible stunt
The Brit made history in a rented warehouse in April, contending with burnt tracksuit bottoms and smoky air
With seemingly no frontiers left to conquer and at a dismal loose end, he suddenly had a brain wave: to do as may backflips in 30 seconds as he could while entirely on fire
He described the unlikely cold sensation that washed over him as he completed the stunt, due to the fact he was wearing two tops coated in protective gel which had been left in the fridge
At the end, the daredevil could breathe a sigh of relief, escaping largely unscathed, albeit with ‘slightly burnt throat’
Afterwards, he said: ‘Her reaction was one of relief that I was safe and alive. She was very proud of me, but glad it was over.’
Mr Luney now has the ‘bug’ to smash even more records, but admits he is getting too old for parkour, a hobby he got addicted to during his teenage years.
He recalled how he used to pretend he was off doing his homework, but instead was doing backflips and free running.
The need to take all this to unmatched levels was sparked by his psychology teacher, who convinced him needed to specialise in something that could separate him from everyone else.
He will soon turn his attention back to completing his doctorate and continuing his work as a therapist, although he admits that many suggest he is the one who needs help.
