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In the
limelight
World’s shortest and tallest men:
The height of
fame
The world’s shortest man alive will hold the title only for a short
period...
It was only in early September this year that the pint-sized
Colombian named Edward Nino Hernandez was crowned the World’s Shortest
Man by the officials of the Guinness World Records following the death
of He Pingping in March this year at the age of 21.
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Former title holder, Bao Xishun. |
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A replica of the World’s Tallest Man in recorded history -
Robert Wadlow. |
He Pingping of China was 2 feet 5 inches tall and was recognised as
the World’s Shortest Man in 2008. He was born with a form a primordial
dwarfism but his lack of height did not stand in the way of reaching
heights of popularity and fame. Even though Pingping was living a life
of poverty, his life was transformed from the moment he inherited the
title in 2008. With his handicap no longer dragging him down, he grew
taller and taller, at least in spirit and fame.
His world became one of TV shows and international travel. He led a
very busy life and in fact, at the time of his death,he was filming a TV
programme called “The Record Show” in Italy. He developed chest problems
during shooting and later bid farewell to the world.
Pingping was quite a sensation by that time. To put it in the words
of the Editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, Craig Glenday, “For
such a short man, he made a huge impact around the world.”
Then it was time for Edward Nino Hernandez of Bogota, Colombia to
come into the limelight...
The 24 year old Hernandez who stands at just 2 feet 3.46 inches
(70.21 centimetres) and weighs 22 pounds was officially named the
shortest man in the world. He was only 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) and 15
inches (38 centimetres) at birth. The Colombian dancer and actor
Hernandez was 1.5 inches shorter than He Pingping. But, for how long
will Hernandez be in the limelight as the world’s shortest man? Perhaps
just a few more weeks. Now there is another contender for the title.
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Future: Khagendra Thapa
Magar. |
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Magar with Tiny Iron. |
By mid October this year Hernandez may have lost his crown
technically - even though the official verdict may take longer. He’ll
hold the title for one issue of the annual Guinness World Record. Who is
this new contender for this title? It’s a teenager from Nepal. Dubbed
the world’s shortest teenager alive, pint-sized Khagendra Thapa Magar is
likely to be awarded the title when he turns 18 on October 14.
Magar’s family had first applied to have him recognised as the
World’s Shortest Man when he was just 14 years old but they had been
turned down by the officials of the Guinness World Records because there
was still a possibility of Magar undergoing a growth spurt as he had not
yet reached adulthood. At present Magar is only 22 inches tall. So, with
less than a month to go for his eighteenth birthday, Magar twirls in
fame creating news wherever he goes.
With the countdown on for Magar to be named the ‘Shortest adult male
in the world’, he was recently seen posing for sensational photographs
with yet another sensation - a man with the largest biceps (muscles of
upper arm) in the United Kingdom.
Tiny Iron who is a body builder is ten years older than Magar (28
yrs) and has biceps which span 24 inches - that’s two inches more than
the height of the world’s shortest teenager! Magar is certainly no match
for Tiny Iron who weighs 280 lbs. Magar is only 10 pounds. You can see
how petite he looks from the pictures given here. The pair were posing
for a Ripley’s Believe it or not museum in London’s Picadilly to promote
the new book, Ripley’s Enter if You Dare.
Well, we have met three of the world’s shortest men; the past, the
present and future title holders. - Pinping, Hernandez and Magar
respectively. What about the world’s tallest man?
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He Pingping with Sultan Kosen, the world’s tallest man. |
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Sultan Kosen is 8ft tall
and still grawing. |
He comes from Turkey. Born on December 10, 1982 in Madin, Turkey,
Sultan Kosen currently holds the title of the world’s tallest man. He is
already over eight feet tall and growing - or was at the time of going
to press because recently he underwent surgery to stop these abnormal
growth spurts caused by a rare hormonal condition. Sultan had begun to
grow uncontrollably at the age of eight and by the time he was a
teenager, his height had sent him into isolation.
He could not complete his education too. But, he soon became the
world’s tallest man and reached heights of fame. When his height was
recorded on August 25, 2009 by Guinness World Record, he was 8ft 1,047
inches, overtaking record holder Bao Xishun who was 7ft 8.9 inches tall.
Did you know that Sultan Kosen is also the record holder for the world’s
longest hands and feet, measuring 27.5 cm and 36.5 respectively? Kosen
became the world’s tallest man officially on September 17, 2009.
The Guinness World Records officials organised a meeting between the
world’s tallest and shortest men early this year (Pinping was the title
holder then) and you can imagine how they felt.
Kosen lives with his family - his parents, three brothers and a
sister who are all of normal height. When asked what disadvantages he
faces due to his height, Kosen had said, finding clothes and shoes that
fit him and getting into a regular sized car. Kosen who enjoys a normal
lifestyle despite his abnormal height, playing computer games and
helping his family around the house, especially changing bulbs and
hanging curtains, dreams of settling down with a wife and family some
day.
Sultan Kosen is one of only twelve individuals in medical history to
be confirmed at a height of eight feet or more. If the recent surgery he
underwent stops his growth spurts, then, Robert Pershing Wadlow
(February 22 1918 - July 15, 1940) would continue to be the World’s
Tallest Man in recorded history. The American celebrity was also known
as the Alton Giant or Giant of Illinoise, because of his upbringing in
Alton, Illinoise.
Wadlow reached a height of 8ft 11.1 in (2.72m) and weighed 485 1bs
(220kg) at his death at the age of 22. He showed no signs of an end to
his growth even at the time of his death, but his size began to take a
toll on him and he needed big braces. However, he was never confined to
a wheel- chair. He died in his sleep on July 15, 1940 due to an
infection that set in from a brace irritation on his ankle.
Facts and pix:Internet
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Past: He Pingping. |
Present: Edward Nino
Hernandez. |
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