Leonid Stadnyk
 |
Leonid Stepanovich Stadnyk Леонид Степанович Стадник | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971 |
| Height | 2.68 m (8 ft 9+1⁄2 in) (not independently verified)http://www.thetallestman.com/leonidstadnyk.htm |
Leonid Stepanovich Stadnyk (Ukrainian: Леонід Степанович Стадник), (born 1971 in Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR) is a Ukrainian man renowned for his stature. He was formerly listed as the world's tallest living man according to Guinness World Records.[1] On August 20, 2008, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, Craig Glenday, announced that the title of world's tallest man had been returned to China's Bao Xishun after Stadnyk refused to be measured under the Guinness standard guidelines which require several measurements throughout the course of 24 hours under the watchful eye of a Guinness Book representative. Guinness would then average the height readings to come up with a final official measured height.[2]
On August 8, 2007, Guinness book's spokeswoman Amarilis Espinoza stated that in the 2008 edition of the record book, Mr Stadnyk appeared to be taller than Bao Xishun, a native of Inner Mongolia in China who stands 2.36 m (7.7 ft). Although he held the title for a few months, Stadnyk refused to be measured and was consequently denied the GWR recognition. Stadnyk refused to be measured because he felt that his gift was from God and is not something that needs to be recorded in a book. [citation needed] Others have questioned the legitimacy of his record, noting that Stadnyk has never been officially measured by Guinness World Records, only by the "Ukrainian Book of Records" that says that he measures 2.54 m (8 ft 4.0 in), and that the doctor originally credited by Guinness with confirming Stadnyk's height has denied ever measuring him.[3]
Stadnyk's excessive growth began after brain surgery when he was 12 years old. He developed a pituitary gland tumor which caused the gland to secrete large amounts of growth hormone, resulting in what doctors describe as acromegalic gigantism. Twenty years after the surgery, the doctors have discovered the tumour had mysteriously disappeared and he is currently healthy. A Pravda news report in Spring 2006 reported[citation needed] that Stadnyk grew 2 cm (0.79 in) in the previous year, not accounting the time between the original Spring 2004 report and Spring 2005. According to Pravda[citation needed], his health is slowly failing in that he needs to hold on to limbs of trees and the side of his house to walk about. His recorded weight is 200 kg (440 lb).
He is a certified veterinarian and veterinary surgeon and lives with his mother in the village of Podolyantsi, Ukraine.[citation needed]
See also
- Robert Wadlow (1918–1940), the tallest man in history
References
- ^ "Press release" (PDF). Guinness World Records 2008. 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
The world authority on record breaking launches with more astounding new records including the introduction of the world's tallest living human being in the world: Leonid Stadnyk (7ft6in tall)
- ^ New rules make China's Bao world's tallest again. Reuters. August 20, 200
- ^ Good, Andrew. (2007-08-13) Debate over the tallest man continues. Ocregister.com. Retrieved on 2011-07-09.
External links
- The Tallest Man: Leonid Stadnyk
- PHOTO from life of giant Template:Ru icon
- AP article
- San Clemente doctor gets to know giant, The Orange County Register
- Photo at Ukrainian country side, Photos in UemA
- "Ukrainian is world's tallest man". BBC News. 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
- Guinness official record of Leonid Stadnyk's height, based on a measurement by the Ukrainian Book of Records.
- Daily Mail article on Leonid Stadnyk