A towering Turk was officially crowned the world’s tallest man Thursday after his Ukrainian rival dropped out of the running by refusing to be measured.

Guinness World Records said that 8 foot 1 inch (2.47 meter) Sultan Kosen, from the town of Mardin in eastern Turkey, is now officially the tallest man walking the planet. Although the previous record holder, Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk, reportedly measured 8 feet 5.5 inches (2.57 meters), Guinness said he was stripped of his title when he declined to let anyone confirm his height.

Stadnyk, 39, told The Associated Press he refused to be independently measured because he was tired of being in the public eye.

“If this title had given me more health or a few extra years, I would have taken it, but the opposite happened, I only wasted my nerve cells,” he said.

“If I have to choose between prosperity and calm, I choose calm.”

Kosen, 27, told reporters in London that he was looking forward to parlaying his newfound status into a chance at love.

“Up until now it’s been really difficult to find a girlfriend,” Kosen said through an interpreter. “I’ve never had one, they were usually scared of me. … Hopefully now that I’m famous I’ll be able to meet lots of girls. I’d like to get married.”

Kosen is one of only 10 confirmed or reliably reported cases in which humans have grown past the eight foot (2.44 meter) mark, according to Guinness.

The record-keeping group said he grew into his outsize stature because tumor-related damage to his pituitary triggered the overproduction of growth hormones. The condition, known as “pituitary gigantism,” also explains Kosen’s enormous hands and feet, which measure 10.8 inches (27.5 centimeters) and 14.4 inches (36.5 centimeters) respectively.

The tumor was removed last year, so Kosen isn’t expected to grow any further.

The part-time farmer, who uses crutches to stand, said there were disadvantages to being so tall.

“I can’t fit into a normal car,” he said. “I can’t go shopping like normal people, I have to have things made specially and sometimes they aren’t always as fashionable. The other thing is that ceilings are low and I have to bend down through doorways.”

But he noted some advantages too, including the ability to see people coming from far away.

“The other thing is at home they use my height to change the light bulbs and hang the curtains, things like that.”

Kosen’s trip to the U.K. — his first outside Turkey — was organized by Guinness to publicize the release of its 2010 Guinness World Records book, this year’s repertoire of weird and wonderful records.

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Originally posted 2009-09-18 09:16:22.

Popularity: 1% [?]

5-year-old Giuliano Stroe may not be old enough to drive himself to the gym, but his insuperable strength has landed himself a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Romanian pre-schooler, who began lifting weights at the tender age of two, set the record for the fastest ever 10-meter hand walk with a weight ball between his legs.

Stroe showcased his skills on an Italian TV show and has since evolved into a YouTube sensation, with hundreds of thousands of people clicking on to watch the amazing feat.

The boy’s father, Iulian Stroe, 33, said Giuliano has been accompanying him to the gym ever since he was born.

Iulian said while he enjoys working out with his son, he always makes sure the schedule isn’t too much for him.

“He is never allowed to practice on his own,” said Stroe. “He is only a child, and if he gets tired, we go and play.”

When he’s not exercising, Giuliano says he enjoys doing normal kid stuff such as watching cartoons and painting.

In 1995, another child body builder made headlines after being declared The Strongest Boy in the World at the age of three.

Richard Sandrak, who quickly became known as Little Hercules, could bench press 210 pounds at the age of six.

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Originally posted 2009-10-27 06:11:35.

Popularity: 11% [?]

There are so many strange world records out there, making it hard to choose from, but check out some of the Strangest world records we found with pictures.

Balancing Heaviest Things on Head. John Evans has a unique talent of balancing very heavy things on his head. In fact, John holds no less than 30 world records of balancing things on his noggin!

World’s Largest Currency. Think that’s a big coin? That’s nothing compared to the currency in the teeny Island of Yap, where stone wheels larger than tractor tires are used as cash!

World’s Largest Maze. North Yorkshire farmer Tom Pearcy of “York Maze” created the world’s largest maze, in tribute of the 40th anniversary of Star Trek:

Most Rattlesnakes in Mouth. Jackie “The Texas Snake Man” Bibby certainly lives up to his name. He’s got four – count ‘em four world records for: most live rattlesnakes held in the mouth (8), sat with in a bathtub (81), shared a sleeping bag with (109), and fastest sacking of 10 rattlesnakes (17.11 seconds).

Bras are seen hanging in the Belgian seaside city of Oostduinkerke on August 13, 2005. About 9,829 bras were knotted together breaking the previous world record held by its rival city Tongerlo, according to local media. Organisers say they will try to enter the Guinness Book of Records.

Sofie Schwarz of Denmark, 11, attempts to break the children’s world record of ringing 88 hula-hoops at the same time in Copenhagen on July 27, 2006.

Brian Spotts of the US works to balance 439 eggs on their ends on the floor of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne on September 14, 2005. Spotts, who lives in Colorado, travelled to Melbourne to attempt a new world egg balancing record which currently stands at 420 eggs.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo slices a giant strawberry shaped shortcake that won the Guiness World Record’s record for the largest fruit shortcake during her visit to La Trinidad in Benguet Province north of Manila March19, 2007.

Brazilian Elaine Davidson, who holds the Guinness world record for being the woman with the greatest number of body piercings – 1903 altogether – pokes her finger through her tongue at the Tate Modern art gallery in London, November 11, 2003. The gallery held an event on Tuesday to mark the release of the 100th millionth copy of the Guiness World Records books.

An Indian man swallows worms to set a new Guinness world record in the southern Indian city of Madras November 15, 2003. The man swallowed 200 worms in 20.22 seconds and broke the current record of 94 night crawlers in 30 seconds set by Mark Hogg of America in 2000.

An Indian man swallows worms to set a new Guinness world record in the southern Indian city of Madras November 15, 2003. The man swallowed 200 worms in 20.22 seconds and broke the current record of 94 night crawlers in 30 seconds set by Mark Hogg of America in 2000.

Originally posted 2009-10-20 10:53:16.

Popularity: 7% [?]