Meet Silvio Sabba: The Record-Breaking ICON of Italy

Professional athlete, personal trainer and tireless ICON, Silvio Sabba likes to keep everyone at Guinness World Records on our toes.

We can just never guess what his next amazing feat is going to be!

What is certain, however, is that the serial record breaker from Milan, Italy, is one of the most prolific, inspirational and game-changing figures in the Guinness World Records family.

After breaking his first record in 2011 — most squats in one minute (single leg), although the title was broken by Germany's William Rauhaus in 2016 —  Silvio proved that he has talent in spades.

With over 200 Guinness World Records titles in his portfolio, each and every challenge proved Silvio's status as an unstoppable powerhouse.

Now, he is regarded among the best of the best at GWR.

With Guinness World Records 2025, the Italian personal trainer can add another achievement to his career: his dedication and philanthropic work have earned him a coveted spot among the GWR ICONS.

“I am honoured that my name can be included in a list of super individuals of the highest level,” the Italian athlete confessed, proudly holding his ICON certificate for the first time.

At Guinness World Records, we know that the sky is the limit when it comes to creative records: Silvio fully embodies that inventiveness and enthusiasm for all things amazing.

He never says no to a challenge, and his example empowers those close to him to believe in themselves and aim for the stars.

As a result, Silvio's past and current titles span a wide array of disciplines — from physical endurance challenges to quirky, skill and focus-based one-minute feats.

He made variety his trademark, with some of his most notable achievements including balancing CDs on a single finger (247, achieved in Milan on 12 July 2015) and jumping onto a bed of nails (in Rodano, Italy, on 23 December 2019, where he achieved the record for the highest standing jump onto a bed of nails).

He also demonstrated his agility and concentration skills, collecting a plethora of (very) different titles:

However, despite his extensive record-breaking history, being awarded an ICON certificate was an unexpected and deeply emotional moment for Silvio.

"I was petrified," he confesses.

"In my mind, I replayed everything that happened from 2011 to today."

"I thought back to all the sacrifices, the joys and the disappointments. And then, in my head, I saw this ICON certificate as the pinnacle of a pyramid," he carries on. "It was a dream."

For Silvio, being an ICON is an honour and an unanticipated privilege, but it first and foremost carries a profound sense of responsibility.

"Being a Guinness World Records ICON means becoming an example for those who break records," he says.

"This achievement pushes me to improve further in all aspects."

But Silvio's efforts aren't limited to athletic stunts, record-breaking feats and being known as "L'Uomo dei Record" (which roughly translates as "Record Man"): he is also a champion for charity.

He dedicates his free time to acts of philanthropy, particularly by donating Guinness World Records books to children in the paediatric oncology wards of his region's hospitals.

In March 2019, his charitable donations earned him the prestigious recognition for the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Ordine «Al merito della Repubblica Italiana»), the highest Order of Merit in Italy.

“Charity has always been in my DNA, and it should be in everyone’s DNA!” he declares.

Talking about his charity work, Silvio mentions the support of Salani Editore — one of the oldest and most prominent Italian publishing houses, which publishes and distributes the Guinness World Records books in Italy — and, particularly, the help of Salani's Editorial Director Marco Figini.

As the record holder recalls, Salani Editore provided him with Guinness World Records books free of charge, enabling him to personally deliver them to young patients.

The collaboration with Salani unwaveringly backed and encouraged Silvio's solidarity initiatives, allowing the Italian ICON to brighten the day of countless children in pediatric hospitals.

“When I go to deliver the books, my heart breaks because I see things no one should ever have to witness," he says.

Becoming an ICON and making a lasting impact in the world of record-breaking is no easy feat: it takes years of dedication, loads of training and a knack for everything extraordinary.

What is Silvio's secret recipe, you might ask?

"There’s only one secret," he reveals. "Stubbornness!”

Stubbornness and talent are indeed a characteristic that he passed on to his son, Cristian: skilled athlete, finalist of the 2021 edition of the Italian talent show Tú sí que vales and a powerhouse in his own right. 

“I believe my son is very athletically gifted and far superior to myself at that age," Silvio said in 2020. "If he continues to grow like this he will become very strong."

A prediction that certainly became true, as the teenager is already racking up a vast collection of record titles of his own.

Cristian, who is juggling school and an already thriving career, shares his dad's love for a good challenge: the two don't only train together, but they also attempt records together.

To name one of the many titles set by this incredible father-son duo, in 2022 Silvio and Cristian achieved the most consecutive rope skips on a bed of nails over another person.

During Lo Show Dei Record, Cristian performed a nail-biting (in every sense of the word!) 260 skips on top of his dad with only a bed of nails separating them.

"My son is very happy for me," Silvio says. "And he said that he'll aim for a spot among the ICONS, too!"

Over the years, Silvio has attempted an incredible variety of records, but some have been particularly challenging.

"All records have their difficulties, but one required my utmost attention," he recalls, talking about his recent title: the most people jumped over on a motorcycle from a low ramp. 

The records enthusiast attempted the thrilling feat to celebrate GWR Day 2024 and, although it was a success, the hair-raising jump also demanded extraordinary technical skills and emotional preparation.

"I was jumping over as many people as possible using only a small ramp, which reached a maximum height of 130 cm," he recalls.

Other than the difficulty of the jump itself, Silvio remembers the huge sense of responsibility that came with the endeavour. 

Looking at what the future has in store for him, Italy's Guinness World Records champ declares he has no intention of slowing down. 

"In the future, I won’t go for ‘simple’ records anymore," he warns all his fans.

"Instead, I will focus on the extreme."

And, as we celebrate his role as ICON, we certainly can't wait to see what crazy, fun and nail-biting records Silvio will attempt next.