Afshin Ghaderzadeh's confidence was immediately apparent as he walked into a room with eager reporters in Dubai on Thursday, smiling and waving to cameras.
Flying in from Iran, where he was born, Ghaderzadeh was about to be declared the world's shortest living man by Guinness World Records. He walked into the room and was lifted on to the table to receive his plaque.
Ghaderzadeh, 20, stands at 65.24cm, earning him the Guinness shortest man living record. He has surpassed the previous title-holder, Colombia's Edward Hernandez, who measured 70.21cm tall when he was first recognised in 2010. Hernandez was remeasured as 72.1cm in 2020 by Guinness World Records.
“Just thinking about being a part of the Guinness World Records family is like a dream,” Ghaderzadeh said, adding, to “wake up the next day and the entire world knows who you are, that's magical”.
Ghaderzadeh was born and grew up in the West Azerbaijan Province in Northern Iran and enjoys some local fame because of his height. He is known for his kind and outgoing personality.
It has not been easy for him and his parents, who also attended the Dubai ceremony on Thursday. Ghaderzadeh is home-schooled, as he is unable to attend school, and struggles to do everyday things independently, sometimes even walking. His mother said she always needs to be by his side.
Ghaderzadeh, who weighs 5.6 kilograms, has not been officially diagnosed with a condition that has affected his height.
“We haven't got a specific diagnosis, but we know it's a form of primordial dwarfism,” Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, tells The National.
He said the recognition could allow Ghaderzadeh's family to seek medical attention, which otherwise has been difficult for them because of their limited access to medical care.
“A good example would be Sultan Kosen, the tallest man right now. He had a pituitary gland tumour that caused excess growth hormones. By having the record, he came to the attention of the world's media, on a day like today, and a doctor who saw the press conference said, 'Oh we can fix this',” Glenday said.
Ghaderzadeh was very eager to talk to reporters at the ceremony, saying he enjoys the attention. “It makes me feel special.”
It was his first time flying out of his home town, and he has already taken a tour of Dubai.
His height does not seem to stop him living life to the fullest. He loves football and is a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and former Iranian national captain Ali Daei in particular. He thinks France are going to win the World Cup.
Ghaderzadeh loves to sing and dance, and although he struggles to accomplish some physical activities, he can hold a plank for two minutes.
Asked about the first thing he does when he wakes up, he chuckles and says: “Check my social media.”
