An Ethiopian giant has said claims that a Ghanaian rival has reached a world recording-breaking height are just tall tales.
Ghana's Sulemana Abdul Samed, 29, was told he might be as tall as 2.89 metres during a hospital check-up, the BBC reported this week.
But medics said they did not have proper measuring equipment, so a BBC reporter visited his village in northern Ghana with a tape measure in hand.
The tape showed Mr Samed to be 2.23 metres — well short of the world’s tallest man.
Ethiopian Negewo Jima saw the report and weighed in, claiming he is taller than Mr Samed. At 2.25 metres, Mr Jima claims to be Ethiopia's tallest man.
Mr Jima took to Facebook on January 3 to say: “Bring him if you want — this man won’t be longer than me.”
He told the BBC: “From what I see in the photographs, I can guarantee he’s not longer than me.”
But both are way short of the man recognised as the tallest on the planet.
Guinness World Records recognises Turkish farmer Sultan Kosen as the tallest living person at 2.51 metres.
“I've held my record for 14 years. I will not lose my record to anyone. I'm determined about it,” Mr Kosen told Turkey's Anadolu news agency.
“I have the biggest feet in the world. I wear size 61 shoes.
“I also own the largest hands in the world. My records are registered. I am world cultural heritage.”
UK newspaper The Sun tracked down Mr Kosen in his village in eastern Turkey.
“I hear some news saying Sultan's record is over, there are people taller than Sultan,” he said.
“If there is, let's measure our height.”
But Mr Samed is not giving up hope of one day taking Mr Kosen’s world record.
“I'm still growing tall. Who knows, maybe one day I may get to that height too,” he said.
“Every three months of four months I grow. If you've not seen me for three months or four and you see me, you'd realised I have increased.”
The world's shortest man - in pictures
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Afshin Esmaeil Ghaderzadeh has been officially named the world's shortest living man by Guinness World Records. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National -
Ghaderzadeh, who is from Iran, stands at 65.24cm -
The new record holder attended the Dubai ceremony with his parents -
He described receiving the record as a 'dream' -
Ghaderzadeh was born in and has grown up in the West Azerbaijan Province in Northern Iran -
His height was officially recorded at a ceremony in Dubai on December 15 -
Speaking of Ghaderzadeh, Guinness World Records editor in chief Craig Glenday said: 'We haven't got a specific diagnosis, but we know it's a form of primordial dwarfism' -
Since arriving in Dubai, Ghaderzadeh has taken a tour of the city -
He says the record 'makes him feel special' -
Ghaderzadeh is embraced by his parents at the Dubai Guinness World Record plaque ceremony -
Ghaderzadeh's mother is always by his side, his family say
