We know accounting isn’t all fun and games. But we also know that accountants are curious, talented, multifaceted folks that make headlines for all the right reasons. Here are the top five accounting stories from 2023 that left us cheering and scratching our heads in amazement.
5. Incredible push-up power by the hour
Australian accountant Lucas Helmke wanted to inspire his 1-year-old son by showing him that “nothing is impossible.” After training for a few years, Helmke broke the world record with a 3,206 push-up feat in November 2022. The 33-year-old Helmke’s record was made official by Guinness World Records in April 2023. How did he do it? Well, he approached training like an accountant.
Helmke broke down the task into 30-second sets with hopes of tallying 26 push-ups per set, and he actually slightly outperformed that pace with an average of 26.7 each half-minute. Thirty-four push-ups were discounted due to improper form.
Eric Mullin, NBC San Diego, April 2023
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4. Cricket skills clinch title for Scorchers
28-year-old accountant Nick Hobson put his cricket skills on display for 53,886 fans, helping the Perth Scorchers win their fifth Big Bash League title. During competition, Hobson enjoyed nearly two months of annual leave from his full-time office job at EY (formerly Ernst & Young), but said he’ll still be taking some extra time away to decompress.
His cricket future remains up in the air, but Hobson sure will be the toast of the office on his first day back at work.
Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, February 2023
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3. A super speedy 100 meters
British accountant Eugene Amo-Dadzie, who calls himself “the fastest accountant in the world,” became the fourth-fastest 100-meter runner in the United Kingdom’s history. After only starting his sprinting “seriously” four years ago, Amo-Dadzie, 30, was able to run 9.93 in Graz, Austria.
Amo-Dadzie told Athletics Weekly that he started sprinting more seriously when he was 26 after a friend and recreational soccer teammate encouraged he “give it a go.”
Heather Mayer Irvine, Runner’s World, June 2023
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2. Typing the most books backwards
One 63-year-old accountant’s favorite hobby involves typing backwards, which led to his Guinness World Record of most books typed backwards (81). Known as “mirror typing,” Michele Santelia, from the small Italian city of Campobasso, spends hours at night typing all sorts of texts in all sorts of languages.
You see, not only does Michele type books backwards, but he types them using four completely blank keyboards simultaneously, and without ever looking up at the screen to double check his work.
Rinki Sethi, Guinness World Records, January 2023
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1. The triumphant triathlon three-peat
Triathlete Pragnya Mohan won the Asia Triathlon Cup and South Asian Championships Pokhara 2023 in Nepal for the third time in a row. The 28-year-old chartered accountant flew in from London the day before the race, giving her minimal time to get acclimated to Pokhara’s high altitude. Despite the extra challenges, Mohan quickly conquered the new course for her “hat-trick of wins” and dedicated the victory to her family.
The event, which was into its eighth edition, comprised 750m of swimming followed by 20kms of cycling and 5kms of running. Pragnya finished the race in one hour and 12 minutes.
Sabu Cherian, The Times of India, April 2023
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Honorable Mention: Tying the knot in an accounting classroom
Lexxa Kever and Trevor Bazley’s relationship began after meeting during an accounting class at the University of Denver. Kever was running late, took the first open seat she saw, and sat down next to Bazley. Ten years later, Room 300 became the backdrop for their September wedding as the couple exchanged vows while surrounded by friends and family.
Logistically, there were some head-scratchers when it came to planning a wedding in a college classroom. The couple had to work around class schedules, for one. Kever was assigned a nearby classroom to get ready in. The discussions around decorations took some creativity.
Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, September 2023
Read the full story on The Seattle Times →