Featured Image Credit: Guinness World Records
Topics: Guinness World Record, World News
Jen Thomas
A new world’s oldest man has been named by the Guinness World Records after his older rival passed away earlier this week at the whopping age of 112.
Liverpool-born John Alfred Tinniswood only held the title for a few months from June 2024, until he sadly died in the care home where he lived in Southport.
John's family paid tribute, saying: “John had many fine qualities. He was intelligent, decisive, brave, calm in any crisis, talented at maths and a great conversationalist.”
Your knees might be aching already at the thought of it, but the new oldest man has clocked in at an 112 years and 55 days old.
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Not only that, it's not thanks to a life of luxury either.
He’s been working in fields since the shockingly young age of just four-years-old.
A former pig farmer in Brazil, the new record holder has been named as Joao Marinho Neto.
His age has been confirmed by LongeviQuest in Ceara, Brazil.
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Guinness World Records confirmed the news with a message on X: “Say hello to the new oldest man in the world, Brazil’s João Marinho Neto, at the age of 112 years and 52 days old.”
A statement confirmed: “Born in Maranguape, Ceara, Brazil, on 5 October 1912, he was previously recognized as the oldest living man in Brazil and in Latin America. He is also now the last surviving man who was born in 1912. Joao was born into a family of farmers and moved with his parents to a rural area of Apuiares."
Talking about his impressive work history, they explained: "He was helping his father out in the fields by the time he was four. His jobs around the farm included helping take care of the cattle and harvesting fruit from Juazeiro trees. Joao went on to marry Josefa Albano dos Santos (1920–1994), and they welcomed four children together - Antonio, Jose, Fatima, and Vanda."
He went on to have three more children called Vinicius, Jarbas, and Conceicao with his partner Antonia Rodrigues Moura.
“He followed in his father’s farming footsteps, cultivating the land his then-wife inherited in Fazenda Massape, to grow corn and beans. He also raised cattle, goats, pigs and chickens."
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Many of the older generation have been asked for their tips and tricks for a long lasting, healthy life, with answers that vary from ‘gin’ to ‘staying single’, but Joao has his own advice.
When asked what the key was to living to 112, he gave a wholesome answer: "Being surrounded by good people and keeping his loved ones close by."
So no gin, then.
He has a large family to surround himself with too, with six living children, 22 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
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That's a lot of Christmas presents to buy!
A spokesman for LongeviQuest says: "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to him and his family on this remarkable achievement. We wish him continued good health and many more years of happiness. His story stands as an inspiration to people across the globe.”
The men have a way to go to catch up with the world's oldest woman though.
The title is currently held by 116 year old Japanese woman, Tomiko Itooka.
She credits her longevity to hiking and mountain climbing until her nineties, and John Alfred Tinniswood also credited walking - so maybe it's time to buy some walking boots.