LONDON – Meet the newly crowned World’s Tallest Man, Sultan Kosen!
At 8 foot 1 inch, Sultan Kosen is the Guinness World Records’ tallest man. He usually resides in Mardin, in southeastern Turkey, but he recently visited London to celebrate his induction.
At the age of 10, Kosen was getting noticeably large, and his family took him to a doctor. It was discovered he had a tumor that was affecting his pituitary gland, which was producing too much growth hormone. It was not until when he had the tumor removed last year did he finally stop growing.
Kosen’s height was verified earlier this year by Craig Glenday, the Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records. He officially usurped Bao Xishun, the famous 7ft 9in Chinese herdsman who had held the title for some time.
Mr. Glenday said, “We only know ten confirmed or reliable cases in history of humans reaching 8ft or more. Sultan’s an imposing figure but a gentle quiet man who’s totally relaxed and unfazed about his unique standing in the world.”
There is a Ukrainian man, Leonid Stadnyk, claims to be 8ft 5in, but has refused to be independently measured.
Kosen’s feet which, at 14.5 inches long, are also officially the world’s largest — as are his hands, at 10.8 inches.
For now, Kosen said he would like a car he could fit into. He said, “More than that, I want to get married. It’s really difficult to find a girlfriend. They are usually scared of me.” Hopefully his newfound fame will attract a future wife!
You can see footage of his visit to London below:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj4v5O_FZSQ]
