Bulgarian Athlete Completes 7,337 Sit-Ups in less than 12 hours for Children’s Charities, Establishing New World Record
- Jun 3
- 3 min read
Stanislav Zlatarev pushed through more than eleven hours of pain in support of two children's charities, setting the world record for Most Traditional Sit-Ups Completed in 12 Hours (Bent-Knee Definition).
By Atlas Editorial Team
10 May 2026 • Varna, Bulgaria
THE QUIET DECISION
On the morning of his thirty-third birthday, Stanislav Zlatarev did not choose celebration. He chose repetition.
The human body is an unusual machine. It can endure remarkable hardship when given a purpose larger than itself. Zlatarev, a Bulgarian athlete and advocate for charitable causes, set out not merely to break a record, but to transform physical suffering into something useful for others.
His chosen cause was the support of two organizations dedicated to helping children and families facing medical hardship: the Pavel Andreev Foundation and the Bulgarian charity "Az Vyarvam i Pomagam" ("I Believe and I Help"), an organization that has helped provide specialized children's ambulances and lifesaving medical equipment throughout Bulgaria.
"A record by itself is an achievement," Zlatarev explained. "But when it can also help other people, it gains a much deeper meaning."
What followed would become one of the most physically demanding performances of his life.
THE FOURTH HOUR
Many endurance challenges reveal their true nature only after the excitement disappears. For Zlatarev, that moment arrived around the fourth hour.
He felt a tear deep within his hip flexor. The injury was immediate and unmistakable. The challenge that had begun as a test of endurance became a confrontation with pain.
From that point forward, every repetition became a decision.
The sit-ups were performed under a strict movement definition requiring bent knees, affixed feet, and consistent range of motion. While the world often celebrates dramatic moments of victory, endurance records are built differently. They are constructed one repetition at a time, often in silence, often in discomfort.
As the hours accumulated, the injury worsened.
Friends, family members, supporters from ProjectFit, and members of the local community remained present throughout the event. Yet the burden of continuing belonged to one person alone.
"I thought about my family and the people who believe in me," he said. "I thought about the charitable cause behind the event and the responsibility I had to finish what I started."
The pain remained constant. So did the purpose.
A RECORD FOR OTHERS
By the eleventh hour, the injured muscle had fully ruptured.
At 20:20:11, the attempt came to an end.
The final verified total was 7,337 traditional sit-ups, establishing a world record for Most Traditional Sit-Ups Completed in 12 Hours (Bent-Knee Definition).
Yet the number itself only tells part of the story. What remains more significant is the reason those repetitions existed in the first place.
Throughout the challenge, Zlatarev's focus remained fixed on the children and families the event sought to support. The effort was intended to raise awareness, inspire donations, and remind struggling families that they were not alone.
Looking back, he expresses little interest in dwelling on the accomplishment itself.
"The record is already part of the past," he said. "My focus is on the future, on new experiences, new challenges, and new opportunities to grow."
The human body eventually reaches its limits. Compassion does not.
If there is a lesson hidden inside 7,337 sit-ups, it may be the one Zlatarev hopes others remember most:
"Support one another. Stay united. Take care of the people around you. Share more smiles, more kindness, and more love. The world becomes better when we choose to lift each other up."
Certified by Atlas World Records on 2 June 2026