At first glance, pint-sized Steven Purugganan would seem like any ordinary 10-year-old with a love for fun and frolic and the occasional video game or two.
One thing, however, sets him apart. Purugganan, who hails from Long Meadow, Massachusetts, is the 2008 world record holder for cycle sport stacking after winning the championship last April.
The 10-year-old Pinoy phenom posted a record of 1.86 seconds for the Individual 3-3-3 Stack Division and 6.21 seconds for the Individual Cycle Stack Division, topping his previous record of 6.50 seconds.
“I’m very excited because I am the fastest person in the world. I am trying to get less than six seconds in world time so I am looking forward to the next tournament,” he said.
Purugganan said he came to the Philippines with his family to promote awareness of the game in schools as well as perform in exhibitions.
According to the World Sport Stacking Association, sport stacking is an international, individual and team sport where participants stack up and stack down 12 specially designed cups in pre-determined sequences in tremendous speed.
The competitors, generally aged 6-17, compete individually, on teams or in pairs, called "Doubles," against the clock for the fastest time or on relay teams in head-to-head competitions.
Sport stacking, originally called "Cup Stacking," began in the early 1980s in Colorado.