ER Doctor Sets World Record Dribbling Two Basketballs

When Michael Dodd told his kids he could break a world record, they probably didn't believe him at first. But the 41-year-old ER doctor from Lexington, Kentucky, proved them wrong by running a mile in 8 minutes and 28 seconds while dribbling two basketballs at once.

The feat happened last November on a running track in Nicholasville. His wife Amanda and their four children, ages 6 to 13, watched from the sidelines as their dad bounced into the record books.

The idea started when Dodd's kids were watching Dude Perfect videos on YouTube. One episode featured the group attempting to break world records, including running a mile while dribbling two basketballs. Dodd turned to his children and said he could beat that record.

"I played college basketball, and I run two or three times per week, so I knew this was a great opportunity to break a world record and become a hero in the eyes of my children," Dodd told Guinness World Records.

Basketball runs deep in the Dodd family. His father was a college basketball coach, and when Michael was born, his parents took photos of him with a basketball in his crib.

The training wasn't easy. Dodd practiced for months to find his rhythm, keeping the same pace throughout the run and alternating his dribbles rather than bouncing both balls together. He stumbled a few times during the actual record attempt but recovered quickly each time.

"I knew that a world record was on the line, so I had to recover quickly, keep calm, not panic, and not lose my composure," he said.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine isn't just the record itself. It's a dad showing his kids that when you set a goal and work hard, amazing things happen. His pastor at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church joked that Dodd could run a mile with two basketballs faster than he could run half a mile without any.

Dodd's children were thrilled to tell their friends their dad was a world record holder. The whole family will remember the day their dad didn't just talk about doing something remarkable but actually did it.

Beyond his record, Dodd also wrote and published a children's book called "The Ant and the Bear" in 2020. He originally wrote it to help his oldest daughter adjust to sharing her parents with siblings. A fellow church member illustrated it over 18 months.

The Dodds are expecting their fifth child, which means one more future cheerleader for whatever record dad decides to break next.

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