At an age when most people slow down, a 90-year-old woman from Ohio has done the opposite, setting a new Guinness World Record and redefining expectations for strength and health in later life. Pepper Pike resident Ann Crile Esselstyn set the record for the oldest woman to remain suspended while suspending her weight for 2 minutes and 52 seconds. The feat surpassed the previous record of 2 minutes and 1 second held by 81-year-old Annie Judis of California. In an interview with Guinness World Records, Esselstyn said the achievement was something she had never imagined. “Never in 90 years did I think I would be so lucky to have the dedicated training, support and desire to actually achieve a Guinness World Records title, especially at 90 years old,” she said. Looking back on her life, she added that over the years she had spent years supporting the sporting careers of her children and grandchildren rather than seeking recognition herself. Esselstyn’s background as a lifelong athlete has played a large role in her success. She has played and coached 10 different sports over the years and has only recently stepped up her routine. Last year, she started a daily fitness routine before breakfast, alternating between cycling, yoga, running and lifting weights. While she occasionally uses a boom bar to improve her form, the idea for the record attempt came from her son, Rip. The turning point came during a FaceTime call when Rip introduced his “Hanging with Rip” challenge. Esselstyn mentioned that she had occasionally attempted hanging, prompting him to ask her to demonstrate. She ran 1 minute and 15 seconds on her first try, “surprisingly” as she put it. The next day, after learning about the existing record, he encouraged her to set higher goals. Esselstyn believes this goal is achievable. “Because I can hang for one minute and 15 seconds without much training, it doesn’t sound impossible,” she said. She started training intensively in February, with daily virtual coaching from her son. Over time, she noticed noticeable physical changes. “Believe it or not, as the month went on, I could feel my hands starting to get stronger. The blisters, which were painful at first, turned into calluses; my back feels better,” she explained.
Æthelstyn Death Hanging Shot/Photo: Guinness World Records
The official attempt took place at her home on March 6, with a large crowd present to verify the effort. Timekeepers, photographers, witnesses, a lawyer, a firefighter, neighbors, two personal trainers and her four children all gathered to watch. Her first attempt hit 2:41 but had to be repeated after she kicked the ball, risking disqualification. After resting for 30 minutes, she tried again. Time passed by and there was silence in the room. “Everyone was quiet until two minutes in. At two minutes and thirty seconds, the room erupted in cheers. Then I heard that I was walking longer than I had on my first try,” she said. Despite the physical exertion, she persevered. “My back and arms were sore, but I beat the time on my first try and came close to three minutes, which surprised me,” she added, noting that the excitement in the room quickly overshadowed the pain. Her final time of 2 minutes, 52 seconds broke the record, marking an extraordinary achievement that combined discipline, family support and lifelong athleticism.
