An ultra-fit Australian police officer has proven her incredible physical and mental strength by smashing the Guinness World Record for pull-ups, but the triumph was marred by a wave of abusive online trolling.
Jade Henderson, a 32-year-old Queensland-based constable and high-level CrossFit competitor, completed a staggering 733 pull-ups in just one hour on the Gold Coast in August. This phenomenal effort saw her surpass the previous record of 725, set by fellow Australian Eva Clark, by maintaining an average of 12 repetitions every minute.
The Gloss Taken Off a Guinness Achievement
Instead of universal celebration, Henderson was subjected to a disheartening barrage of negative comments and baseless accusations on social media. 'I wasn't expecting to receive half the amount of attention I have received already, so when I saw that a lot of it was negative comments accusing me of being on steroids or cheating, it's quite disheartening,' Henderson revealed.
She emphasised the hard work behind her achievement, stating, 'It discredits the amount of work that's actually gone into doing this record. I've never done steroids, so I don't have anything to prove to anyone else.' Trolls used syringe emojis in comments on her Instagram posts to fuel the unfounded claims about performance-enhancing drugs.
Gruelling Training and a Painful Setback
Henderson's path to the record was far from easy. Her original ambition was even more audacious: to break the record for the most pull-ups in 24 hours. However, during a gruelling training session where she completed 3,500 pull-ups in 12 hours, she suffered a partial tear of her bicep tendon and muscle.
This agonising injury forced her to rest her arm for six weeks and pivot to the one-hour attempt. The record attempt itself was intensely painful; with about 20 minutes remaining, she ripped the skin off her hands. 'I thought to myself that my hands were already a mess and I was already in pain, so I need to make it worth it,' she said, proud of pushing through the pain.
Beyond Policing: Stunt Work and Netflix Appearances
Henderson's talents extend beyond the police force and the gym. She is training to become a stuntwoman, practising firearms handling, being set on fire, and specialised driving. Her athletic prowess also earned her a spot on the Netflix show Physical: 100, where she was a reserve contestant alongside famous Aussie names like former UFC world champion Robert Whittaker.
Not content with her current achievement, Henderson has already set her sights on a new goal: breaking the world record for the most pull-ups in one minute, which currently stands at 44. Her story is a powerful testament to what the human body can achieve with a determined mind, even in the face of adversity.
