The fastest completion of Red Version was set by Kevin M. LaLonde on June 26, 2006 in 3 hours and 2 minutes.

How is that possible? One would think that it would take more than 3 hours and 2 minutes to level up your Pokemon to the point where they could beat the Elite Four...

gameshark!

He obviosly didn't choose a fire type as his starter....

Damn I think gameshark or shortcuts something man

Three hours is nothing, there are video here of people beating it in much less than that.

The three record times there are:

• Red in 1:59
• Red in a single-segment in 2:39
• Blue using a glitch in 1:26

If I remember correctly, there were glitches to get certain HMs early, or travel through those shrubs needed to cut.

Well this record was confirmed by Twin Galaxies, and was in the Guinness World Records book, so I don't think using a gameshark would be allowed...

It's funny that that's the world record then since that link I have above has three times faster than it.

it has to be gameshark, there is no other way, battleing trainers that you have to battle on the way over to the elite four is more than 3 hours

There are no cheats or glitches in those videos unless specifically stated, it's just people have gotten the timing to things down to an art.  Read the notes on that link and they tell you exactly how they did it.

And if you don't believe that, look around at some of the other videos:

• Final Fantasy VI in just under five hours
• 100% Chrono Trigger in about 6 1/2 hours
• 100% Link to the Past in two hours
• Super Metroid in a little over half an hour
• Any of the Castlevania videos are amazing to watch

Spend some time on that site and just be wowed.  If you don't believe them, watch the videos for yourself, they don't use cheats or glitches unless they specifically say they do.