Standing almost two feet over his classmate, Xiaoyu Lei, a 14-year-old from Leshan City in southwestern China, Sichuan always seemed to stand out in the crowd.
Also nicknamed Xiaoyu, he is already about 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 meters) and is still growing.
The boy is likely to be the tallest teenage boy in the world with Guinness World Records. The title was previously held by an American teenager who was 7 feet and 1 inch tall (2,159 meters) when he was 16 years old.
It is said that Xiaoyu’s large physique is not the result of any medical condition.
According to Xiaoyu, his parents took him to the hospital for a checkup when he was young. Later, the doctor found that his unusual height was not caused by any disease.
He believes his size was influenced by his parents and grandparents, all of whom were six feet tall.
As reported by DailyMail, Xiaoyu’s classmates even called him a ‘little Yao Ming’, named after a former NBA star from China who stood 7 feet and 6 inches (2.29 meters) tall.
But Xiaoyu stated that he was not interested in playing basketball or other sports because it was difficult for him to move around.
It is said that he suffered from the flat fleet and chondromas, very rare, benign tumors made of cartilage. Because of his condition, he had to undergo four operations.
“Since I have entered school, I have noticed that I am taller than the other kids at my age. Many students were mistaking me as a fellow from the senior graduation,” said Xiaoyu.
“That did disturb me but I decided to make it something positive by applying to Guinness to see if I could get the world record,” he added.
A Guinness World Records certification officer named Lu Lei went to Leshan to confirm Xiaoyu’s challenge. According to the Daily Star, he was joined by Li Song, a doctor from Leshan People’s Hospital, and a reporter from the Red Star News.
“The challenger must be male and aged between 13-18. At the moment the former holder of the Guinness World Record is over 18 years old,” said Lu Lei.
The officer measured Xiaoyu three times to ensure his height that is in the morning, noon, and evening.
Once the measurement certification is completed, it is sent to London to be audited at Guinness headquarters. Once confirmed, Xiaoyu expects to be the new world record holder.
The results are expected to be announced next month.
The titles of the tallest teenage boys and girls in the world are still vacant at the moment as the former record holder is now over 18 years old.
Previously, Kevin Bradford of the United States was the tallest teenage boy in the world certified by Guinness World Records. He was born on October 27, 1998, and measures 7 feet and 1 inch (2,159 meters) on April 30, 2015.
Source: DailyMail, Daily Star