A 14-year-old boy identified as Xiaoyu, from Leshan City in the southwestern province of Sichuan, measured 221cm (7.25 feet) on his birthday on October 18, according to national newspaper New which ranks him up to become the World’s tallest teen.
A Red Star News journalist, who was asked to be one of the officials who confirmed the boy’s height, reported that the teen was so large that he even needed to have special furniture made.
This includes a desk and chair that he can fit in so he can study.
Xiaoyu’s grandmother Wu Mei told the newspaper: “He has grown a lot taller in the past two years.”
In August this year, Xiaoyu and his family submitted the application for the challenge ‘Tallest Youth (Male)’ on the official Guinness website.
He said: “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 generation.
“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.”
Lu Lei, a World Records certification officer, later came to Leshan to certify Xiaoyu’s challenge to the title.
In addition to the officer, Leshan People’s Hospital doctor Li Song and the Red Star journalist participated in the measurement and acted as witnesses for the record application.
Mr Lei said: “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.”
But, he added that the comparison was not relevant as the new challenger is much younger.
In order to make sure they had the measurement exactly correct, the officials measured him three times in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
After the measurement certification was completed it was sent to London to be audited at the Guinness headquarters, and once confirmed, Xiaoyu is expecting to become the new world record holder.
