Turkish Man Squirts Milk From Eye 9.2 Feet
By JAMES C. HELICKE
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) - Ilker Yilmaz might just hold one of the world's most bizarre world records. The Turkish construction worker on Wednesday poured milk into his hand, loudly snorted it up his nose and squirted it 9.2 feet out of his left eye in what he hopes will be recognized as a new world record.
``I'm happy and proud that I can get Turkey in the record book even if it's for milk squirting,'' said the 28-year-old. He says he is among only a handful of people around the world who can perform the feat because of an anomaly in his tear gland.
The Web site for Guinness World Records says Mike Moraal of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, set the existing record, of 8.745 feet in France in 2001.
In an e-mail, Guinness World Records said it had no official representative present to witness Yilmaz's feat and was waiting for documents from organizers of Wednesday's event to prove the record.
``It is really good to hear that provisionally a new record may have been set,'' Sam Knights, a Guinness representative, said in an e-mail. ``We welcome new record breakers and look forward to receiving the evidence ... and then we can verify this new record attempt.''
Yilmaz said he has known for years that he could squirt liquids out of his eye, but only three years ago found out that there was a record for squirting milk.
``I learned by chance that I had such a talent. When I was swimming with friends, I noticed water squirting out of my eye,'' he said. ``When I saw (a previous Guinness attempt) on TV, I thought, maybe, I could do that too.''
Mahir Kendusim, an Istanbul-based eye doctor, said a cavity links the lower eyelid to the nasal cavity, but added that he has never heard of anyone who was able to carry out a feat such as Yilmaz's.
Two years ago, Yilmaz said he broke an earlier record, but Guinness did not recognize it because the witnesses present did not fulfill its guidelines.
On Wednesday, an imam, or Muslim prayer leader, was among witnesses watching as Yilmaz sucked in the milk, held back his left eyelid with his finger and squirted away. Yilmaz succeeded on his third attempt. The record attempt was sponsored by Kay Sut, a Turkish milk company.
By JAMES C. HELICKE
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) - Ilker Yilmaz might just hold one of the world's most bizarre world records. The Turkish construction worker on Wednesday poured milk into his hand, loudly snorted it up his nose and squirted it 9.2 feet out of his left eye in what he hopes will be recognized as a new world record.
``I'm happy and proud that I can get Turkey in the record book even if it's for milk squirting,'' said the 28-year-old. He says he is among only a handful of people around the world who can perform the feat because of an anomaly in his tear gland.
The Web site for Guinness World Records says Mike Moraal of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, set the existing record, of 8.745 feet in France in 2001.
In an e-mail, Guinness World Records said it had no official representative present to witness Yilmaz's feat and was waiting for documents from organizers of Wednesday's event to prove the record.
``It is really good to hear that provisionally a new record may have been set,'' Sam Knights, a Guinness representative, said in an e-mail. ``We welcome new record breakers and look forward to receiving the evidence ... and then we can verify this new record attempt.''
Yilmaz said he has known for years that he could squirt liquids out of his eye, but only three years ago found out that there was a record for squirting milk.
``I learned by chance that I had such a talent. When I was swimming with friends, I noticed water squirting out of my eye,'' he said. ``When I saw (a previous Guinness attempt) on TV, I thought, maybe, I could do that too.''
Mahir Kendusim, an Istanbul-based eye doctor, said a cavity links the lower eyelid to the nasal cavity, but added that he has never heard of anyone who was able to carry out a feat such as Yilmaz's.
Two years ago, Yilmaz said he broke an earlier record, but Guinness did not recognize it because the witnesses present did not fulfill its guidelines.
On Wednesday, an imam, or Muslim prayer leader, was among witnesses watching as Yilmaz sucked in the milk, held back his left eyelid with his finger and squirted away. Yilmaz succeeded on his third attempt. The record attempt was sponsored by Kay Sut, a Turkish milk company.
