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Age is far more than just a number for Ecuadorean, Maria Copvilla! At 116 years old, Maria has taken her place in Guinness World Records as the oldest living woman in the world.
Maria snatches the title from the previous holder, 115-year-old American Elizabeth Bolden. The world's oldest man - Puerto Rican, Emiliano Mercado Del Toro, who entered the record books in January 2005, at 114 - is a mere junior compared to Maria.
Maria, a mother of five, will have her work cut out if she's hoping to take the coveted oldest woman ever record, currently held by the late Jeanne Louise Calment, who died in August 1997 at a staggering 122 years 164 days old!
Maria's showing no signs of slowing down and astonishingly, she still walks unaided! While there's little medical explanation for her longevity, Maria drinks very little and has never smoked, suggesting that a healthy lifestyle is the key to a long, long life!
What makes Maria's story even more astounding is the fact that she nearly didn't make her centenary - at 99 she was given the last rites, but miraculously pulled through, and the rest is history!
Taking a place in the Guinness World Records book is not Maria's only achievement - a widow since 1949, she's the senior figure in a large family, with five children, four grand children, nine great grand children and two great great grandchildren.
Welcoming Maria to Guinness World Records, editor Craig Glenday said, "At 116, Maria Copvilla has beaten the odds - not only to live to 116, but to have the records to prove it. Maria is the first person from South America to be recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person since our records started in 1955."
More veteran records from Guinness World Records:
Oldest man ever: Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan lived to the ripe old age of 120. He died on 21st February 1986.
Oldest woman ever: The greatest fully authenticated age to which any human has ever lived is 122 years 164 days, which is held by the late Jeanne Louise Calment
Oldest couple to marry: Francois Frenandez and Madleine Francineau exchanged marriage vows in France aged 96 years 290 days and 94 years 201 days respectively. The total aggregate age between them at the time of the ceremony was 190 years 126 days.
Oldest twins - female: Kin Narita and Gin Kanie, from Japan, were born on 1st August 1892. Kin died of heart failure on 23 January 2000 aged 107 years 175 days.
Oldest twins - man: The oldest male twins ever authenticated were Glen and Dale Moyer of the USA. Born on 20 June 1895, they became the oldest living twins on 23 January 2000.
The Guinness World Records 2006 edition is currently available at retail stores everywhere.
About Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 20 languages and is one of the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Last year Guinness World Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition (1955-2005) and the 2004 edition marked the sale of its 100 millionth copy. The Guinness World Records website ( www.guinnessworldrecords.com) receives more than 11 million visitors a month. Guinness World Records is published by HIT Entertainment Limited, a fully integrated global studio with divisions in the U.K., U.S., Canada and Japan, including broadcast production and distribution, video and audio sales, consumer products licensing and marketing.
