Tallest living man lurches into the record book
Xi Shun, aged 54, from the remote region of Inner Mongolia, is set to enter the pages of the Guinness World Records for his enormous stature.
The new record-holder, whose mother was a mere 5ft 2in, was a normal height for his age until his mid-teens. He shot up after reaching the age of 16, and has now beaten the previous title-holder, Tunisian-born Radhouane Charbib.
Charbib, at 7ft 8.9in, had held the record since 1999 and is now beaten by a whisker.
Xi Shun was certified as the new title-holder after being measured by Guinness World Record officials six times at Inner Mongolia's Chifeng City Hospital.
At 5ft 10in, Xi Shun's father was not exceptionally tall either, but doctors say his son's growth was natural, and not the result of a condition such as giantism or acromegaly, caused by too much growth hormone.
Guinness World Records editor Craig Glenday said: "Finding a taller living human being than 7ft 8.9in, and finding him living healthily and actively, and in a region as remote as Inner Mongolia no less, is incredibly exciting.
"There may be just a hair's breadth between the two giants but this is a monumental occasion in record-breaking history.
He added: "The record for the tallest living person is one of those classic, favourite records.
"Reaching this height naturally is getting close to the extremes of human existence he's not quite reached the dizzying heights of tallest man ever, Robert Wadlow, who measured 8ft 11.1in but he's close."
