A sixth-grader has been making headlines in China for towering over his classmates at 6 feet 9 inches tall.
For starters, Xiaoyu was born to tall parents. His father is over 1.8 meters (5 feet 10.87 inches), while his mother and grandfather both stand at over 1.9 meters (6 feet 2.80 inches).
But the 11-year-old primary schooler also has flat feet, a condition characterized by a lack of arch in the soles. This makes walking and other movements involving the feet awkward or painful.
For this reason, Xiaoyu had to turn down several local basketball coaches who invited him to play the sport, according to People’s Daily. He also bumps his head and gets stares due to his unusually tall stature.
By comparison, an average 11-year-old boy stands 1.453 meters (4 feet 9.20 inches), as per national statistics.
Xiaoyu underwent four surgeries to correct his flat feet, but even with the operations, the young boy looks forward to becoming the world’s tallest teenager, and perhaps set a Guinness World Record.
“I both hope to and not to grow much taller,” China Daily quoted Xiaoyu as saying. “I want to be tall enough to break the World Guinness Records, but don’t like the daily inconveniences brought about by my height.”
The record currently belongs to 16-year-old Brandon Marshall, who stands at 7 feet 4 inches (2.25 meters) tall and lives in the U.K.
Xiaoyu’s grandmother, Wu Mei, hopes that her grandson will soon be able to play basketball. She will also support him when he decides to apply for the world record.
