He may not have used "the force" but a self-described jiu-jitsu "jedi" has completed an epic feat of physical and mental prowess, overcoming a suspected broken bone to claim victory in his world record attempt.

Key points: Damian Todd took on 192 opponents over 24 hours at an Adelaide gym

Damian Todd took on 192 opponents over 24 hours at an Adelaide gym The 48-year-old is a former commando and has also undergone spinal surgery

The 48-year-old is a former commando and has also undergone spinal surgery Funds raised are going towards suicide prevention charity R U OK?

Damian "Obi Wan" Todd, a former British Royal Marines commando, performed Brazilian jiu-jitsu for 24 hours non-stop at an Adelaide martial arts school.

The feat involved taking on dozens of challengers into the night and was punctuated only by a few brief breaks to take in food and sit in an ice bath.

The pain involved was made worse by a suspected cracked sternum, which Mr Todd sustained about nine hours into the endurance test.

"I believe I cracked my sternum and also a rib, I popped a rib on the left-hand side as well," he said.

The 48-year-old, who underwent spinal surgery a few years ago, kicked off the Guinness World Record attempt at 12:00pm on Friday to raise money for suicide prevention charity R U OK?

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Before beginning, Mr Todd joked he was taking on "just 228" fights in succession, facing a total of 192 competitors, some of whom had more than one go.

"Some are just coming here for five minutes to beat me up," he said yesterday.

"I've been training for the past three months now — 13 to 18 hours a day rolling as we call it, grappling on the mats.

"[I've met] quite literally hundreds upon hundreds of people in South Australia, Victoria, people coming in from Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne to join with me to help me through this, but it's been a challenge."

The challenge concluded with a countdown and an outburst of cheering.

Shortly afterwards, a clearly exhausted Mr Todd said he was "relieved", describing the experience as "just horrific".

"Some people came in with a nice attitude and some came to kill me … [I thought] 'what are you doing?' I've got a day of this," he said.

"Things like this forge us and teach us so many things and I think that I've learned so much more about myself."

'He is just lightning, a superstar'

Mr Todd wants to raise more than $100,000 for charity. ( Facebook: The Force of Inspiration )

Mr Todd said he had faced mental health "demons" in the past, and he dedicated his triumph to a friend and soldier who committed suicide.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art characterised by grappling and ground fighting, and Mr Todd said there was no previously recognised world record.

"[This has] established one because there wasn't one standing — it's just too big, people didn't do it. It feels kind of cool," he said.

Mr Todd said while some described his challenge as "an insurmountable task" he wanted to inspire others.

His wife Melissa was delighted with the accomplishment, saying her husband was "as tough as nails".

"I'm incredibly proud of Obi. He's done an amazing job, both physically and mentally," she said.

"He is just lightning, a superstar."

Mr Todd hopes to raise more than $100,000 for R U OK? and said he knew from first-hand the inner strength needed to tackle mental health challenges.

"It's absolutely, 100 per cent important for me because I've been challenged so many times through my military career and thereafter as well," he said.

"What they do as an organisation is give people a chance to reach out and be put in touch with people who actually can help them.

"Even when I joined the Marines very many years ago … I'd see guys who were insanely strong but they didn't have the mental willpower, so this is part of the effort to show your mental willpower can get you through the absolute worst of mental challenges."