A 117-year-old woman is hoping to be confirmed as the world’s oldest person after it emerged she was born two days before the Brit who currently holds the record.
Ćamile Mara, known as Grandma Mara, is said to have been born on 19 August 1909.
Ethel Caterham, the official title holder, was born on 21 August 1909 and turned 117 this year.
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Ethel, who lives in Surrey, England, became the world’s oldest verified living person after the death of Inah Canabarro Lucas on 30 April 2025.
She became the first Briton to reach 117 and is the last validated person born before 1910.
Until the documents are checked, Ethel keeps the Guinness crown.
The new claim comes from Albania, where Ćamile lives in modest conditions in Kozare.
TV journalist Blendi Fevziu said he will personally start checks on her baptism certificate and identity papers.
He plans to hand the file to Guinness World Records if it stands up.
After meeting her on 28 September, he said: “The world’s oldest person lives in Albania.
“She was born 117 years and 39 days ago.”
Ćamile’s family has previously faced problems getting her pension because of checks over her age, as reported by Need To Know.
In 2023, officials temporarily withheld a payment while her status was checked.
Her son had to take a formal proof-of-life certificate to the authorities in Berat.
The Social Security Institute later said the delay was part of routine checks on pensioners aged over 100 and that her payment had been issued.
Her son said the pension is still not enough for her treatment and basic needs.
He said he cannot afford to top it up, and that her other children have left the country.
If the 1909 date is right, she was three when Albania declared independence, five when Prince Wilhelm of Wied arrived, 19 when King Zog took charge, and 35 when Enver Hoxha seized power.
She has previously spoken of hard years under the communist regime.
Fevziu has made clear the title is not hers until the paperwork survives the same checks that confirmed Ethel.
Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest have yet to comment on the claim.
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