Video games for a cause
FOOTBALL Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy is not the only high-profile Jew bidding for Australia to host the World Cup — teenager Michael Puterflam (pictured) also plans to do his bit.
FOOTBALL Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy is not the only high-profile Jew bidding for Australia to host the World Cup — teenager Michael Puterflam (pictured) also plans to do his bit.
The 17-year-old is hoping to break a world record by playing the FIFA 11 football game on Sony Playstation 3 for 30 hours straight in the lead-up to the announcement of who will host the tournament in 2022.
“The current record is 24 hours, but I’m going to aim for 30 hours, with five minute breaks every hour, and I’m really excited,” Michael said.
The Moriah College graduate will start his record attempt at midday on December 1, and if he stays the distance will finish at 6pm on December 2, only eight hours before the host nation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is announced.
The young sport lover finished his Higher School Certificate several weeks ago and decided he wanted to play more FIFA 11.
He checked the current record and then applied to Guinness World Records to set a new benchmark. They told him that he had to complete the record in a public place, so on December 1 he will set up camp in the middle of Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction.
Luckily, there is no rule about winning or losing during the record attempt because Michael will be playing the video game against current Sydney FC players, some of Australia’s best FIFA 11 competitors, and hopefully Socceroos players based in Europe via the internet during the night.
He is hoping to raise more than $20,000 for charity through sponsorship and competitors paying money to be a part of the record attempt by playing against him. “I’m going to be a leader at Camp Sababa, which is a camp for children with intellectual and physical disabilities, so I will raise money for The Sony Foundation, which donates money to the camp.
“I’m also going to raise money for the Holdsworth Community Centre for children with a disability in Woollahra and Football United.
The AJN is giving one reader the chance to compete against Michael on December 1. Email your name and phone number to fifa11@jewishnews.net.au by midday on November 26 for your chance to win.
JOSHUA LEVI
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