17 years old brazilian holds new Guinness World Record as fastest texter

A 17-year-old from Brazil is now the world’s fastest texter according to the Guinness Book of World Records, edging out the previous record of 18.44 seconds – held by another teen – with a time of 18.19 seconds.

Marcel Fernandes Filho earned the record by typing complex sentences like, “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.” Contestants must nail the spelling of all words and proper punctuation.

Filho says he honed his typing skills after smashing his faulty laptop in 2009 at which point he had to rely on his iPhone 3GS.