Youngsters break six record on seven continents

Mekaal and Zara Rahim show off the medals they won for completing the marathon in Canberra which was also the final leg of their globe-trotting challenge

Mekaal (10) and Zara Rahim (11) became the youngest male and female in the world to achieve the feat when they crossed the line in Canberra, Australia.

The previous record was held by Americans, Blanca Ramirez and Nik Toocheck, who were both 12 when they did it.

In addition Mekaal and Zara also achieved World Records for: youngest siblings to complete a marathon on each continent, youngest male and female to complete an ultra-marathon in Antarctica, and youngest siblings to complete an ultra-marathon in Antarctica.

They are now just a few World Records behind their father Ziyad, who holds 10 himself in long-distance

running, with both youngsters aspiring to break them when they grow up.

Zara and Mekaal, who spend every summer with their grandparents and cousins in Craigmarloch, began their challenge last July after being inspired by a documentary about Syrian refugees.

During the course of this record-breaking feat, the siblings spent over 200 hours flying to race locations and covered almost 150,000 nautical miles.

Getting to Australia for the last continent proved to be a marathon in itself.

Due to school commitments at home in Qatar, the kids could only manage a weekend trip so after a 14-hour flight to Sydney followed by a four-hour bus journey.

The kids arrived at the AIS Stadium jet-lagged and sleep deprived, but found their form to finish the race.

The siblings are not done yet and are now preparing to take on the mountains. This summer they plan to climb Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in UK, before setting their sights on Africa’s highest peak, Kilimanjaro, next year.