Xi Shun Reclaims Title as Guinness World Records Tightens Rules NEW YORK and LONDON, Aug. 20
NEW YORK and LONDON, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080820/NYW033 )
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
