A 17-year-old girl from Turkey named Rumeysa Gelgi, whose height is 2 meters 13 centimeters, has been officially declared the tallest girl in the world. Rumeisa Gelgi received the award from the Guinness Book of Records during a special presentation that took place in her hometown of Safranbolu, Karabuk.
Rumeisa is an 11th grade high school student and lives with her parents and older brothers and sisters, who are of normal height.
Rumeisa's tall stature is due to a disease called Weaver syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes rapid growth. The girl also has unusually large arms and legs. Rumeisa's foot size corresponds to the 47th size of men's shoes.
High growth causes the girl a lot of inconvenience, including movement. In order to walk, she uses a specially made wheelchair and walker. Shoes for girls are also made individually.
“It's interesting and makes me feel special. Growth will allow me to easily look at the highest shelves, and besides, no one can look down on me”, - quotes the girl's Mail Online.
Dr. Omer Hakan Yavasoglu carried out the official measurements of Rumeis, which, according to the rules of the Guinness Book of Records, must be carried out three times in one day.
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“The Guinness Book of Records recognizes extraordinary people all over the world. Rumeisa demonstrates incredible endurance and courage living with her illness, and it is a great honor to meet her and award her the title,”said Seida Subas-Gemisi, spokesman for the Guinness Book of Records.
The doctors assured Rumeisa that she would not grow further, so that the girl would not be able to break the record of the tallest living person on earth and her fellow countryman Sultan Kosen, whose height is 2 meters 51 centimeters.
Previously, the tallest girl was considered the Canadian Anna Haining Swan, whose height was 2 meters 41 centimeters. And the tallest man in history is the American Robert Wadlow whose height in 1940 was 2 meters 72 centimeters.
Rumeisa's record will be featured in the 2015 Guinness Book of Records, which will be released in September.