20 Aug 2008 09:56 Africa/Lagos

Guinness World Records(TM) Reinstates World's Tallest Living Man

LONDON, August 20/PRNewswire/ --


- Xi Shun Reclaims Title as Guinness World Records Tightens Rules


Guinness World Records announced today that China's Bao Xi Shun (7 feet 8.95 inches) has recaptured the record as the world's Tallest Living Man from Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk (8 feet 5.5 inch). Guidelines for the title were amended earlier this year, in order to ensure the highest level of accuracy in determining this category. All contenders to the Tallest Living Man title must now be measured in person by an official Guinness World Records adjudicator. As a result, Xi Shun, who lost the recognition last year to Stadnyk, is re-crowned in the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book released worldwide on 17th September 2008.


Guinness World Records crowned Stadnyk the world's Tallest Living Man based on a statement provided by his medical practitioner. However, the record was included in the 2008 book with a caveat stating that Stadnyk's height had not been officially measured by Guinness World Records. The Tallest Living Man record is one of the most popular and longstanding titles in record-keeping history. The company decided to tighten its rules and stipulate that a doctor's testimony no longer suffices as evidence for any "tallest" or "shortest" claim. After repeated requests to measure Stadnyk in person went unanswered, Guinness World Records returned the title to Xi Shun in compliance with its new regulations.


"We are the global authority on world records and our obligation is to provide the public with the most accurate information possible. According to our new guidelines, Leonid Stadnyk does not meet the criteria for the evidence required to support his claim, which is why we felt that it was only fair to rename Xi Shun, whom we have measured in person" said Craig Glenday, Editor-In-Chief of Guinness World Records. "We still hope to hear from Stadnyk - and anyone else in the world for that matter - so we can travel to meet him and officially measure his height".


After the recent death of Sandy Allen (US), who stood an impressive 7 feet 7 inches, the category for Tallest Living Female has been left pending. The Tallest Female Ever, Zeng Jinlian (China), stood an imposing 8 feet 1.5 inches tall. Robert Wadlow (US) holds the title as the Tallest Man Ever measuring in at an amazing 8 feet 11.1 inches tall.


He Ping Ping (China), the Smallest Living Man, is the first person to be ratified under the updated Guinness World Records' rules when measured in March 2008 by Glenday in Beijing. Ping Ping will pay a first-ever visit to London and New York between the 13th and 20th of September 2008 in celebration of the 2009 Guinness World Records book launch.


About Guinness World Records


Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 25 languages and is one of the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Guinness World Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition in 2004, a year after the sale of its 100 millionth copy. Guinness World Records also annually publishes the Gamer's Edition; a records book devoted solely to the world of computer gaming and high score record achievements. The Guinness World Records website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) receives more than 11 million visitors a year. Guinness World Records is part of the Jim Pattison Group, one of Canada's largest privately owned companies which is a conglomerate of interests, including advertising, broadcasting, grocery stores and automotive retailing.


Source: Guinness World Records

CONTACT: For more information, pictures or facts, please contact: UK Office/ Karolina Thelin and/or Amarilis Espinoza at press@guinnessworldrecords.com or via phone: +44(0)20-7891-4567 /+44(0)20-7891-4516; US Office/ Laura Plunkett at +1-212-463-9623 or Brian Reinert at +1-212-689-6360

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