At 8ft tall, Zhao Liang stands head and shoulders above the competition.
Which is lucky, as the 27-year-old is in the running to be the world's tallest man.
The current title holder is Bao Xishun ('the Mongolian mast'), who measures in at a measly 7ft 9in - a whole three inches shorter.
Mr Liang's claim came to light when he was admitted to Tianjin hospital, in China, for a routine operation on an old muscle tendon injury to his left foot.
Doctors confirmed his height as 8ft 0.7in. But his claim to be the world's tallest man has not yet been verified by Guinness World Records.
Mr Liang, who is now seeking official recognition, had been training as a basketball player when he sustained the foot injury over a decade ago.
He remained unemployed until 2006, when an art troupe in Jilin province employed him to perform magic tricks and play the saxophone and flute.
Mr Liang's parents are of normal height, with his father measuring 5ft 9in and his mother, 5ft 5in.
His mother Wang Keyun said that her son had a big appetite, eating eight hamburger-sized steamed buns as part of a three-course dinner.
'But I am so worried about his marriage, job and his health that my hair has turned white,' she added.
Liu Yuchen, a surgeon at the hospital, declared the operation on Mr Liang's foot a success.
He said that he would be able to walk normally in two months' time, but advised against any intense physical exercise.
Dr Yuchen said that Mr Liang was in good health and has no complications in relation to his height.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
At a towering 8ft, is this the world's new tallest man?
