When it comes to sports, size matters… usually. And these athletes win based on their height alone. We’re going to find out who the tallest athlete of all time is, and how tall they really are.
Konishiki Yasokichi – 287kg
Officially the greatest rikishi to ever grace the sumo world, Konishiki Yasokichi earned nicknames such as “Dump Truck” and “Meat Bomb” due to his incredible peak weight of 633 pounds. Fans weren’t used to seeing foreigners (non-Japanese athletes) succeed in the sport. The Honolulu, Hawaii, native didn’t need a professional fitness trainer to become so successful. He won the top division three times and nearly became the first foreign yokozuna, or grand champion.
Gheorghe Muresan – 2.31m
Although he wasn’t one of the best players in basketball history, it’s safe to say he’s put in plenty of gym workouts. At 1.7 meters tall, Romanian Gheorghe Muresan is officially tied with Manute Bol as the tallest basketball player in NBA history. But the feat doesn’t end there. Muresan is officially the tallest human being in the entire European Union. Did you know he made a cameo appearance in the music video for Eminem’s hit “My Name Is”?
Hafthor Julius “Thor” Bjornsson – 2.05m, 181kg
These days, Hafthor Julius Bjornsson is probably best known for his role as Ser Gregor Glegane, aka The Mountain, on HBO’s Game of Thrones. However, before his character experienced many moments of horror and pure violence on the show, Bjornsson starred in World’s Strongest Man. For six consecutive years, this man from Reykjavik, Iceland, placed in the top three. At six feet two and six feet three inches tall, he’s not called “The Mountain” for nothing. Bjornsson has clearly put a lot of use to his home gym equipment!
Maria Sharapova – 1.87m
People often forget that Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is one of the greatest tennis players in the world. Born in Russia, she moved to the United States in the early 1990s and, since 2001, has worked hard in her gym and fitness center, which has allowed her to establish herself on the WTA Tour. Her career can be summed up as something of a paradox. Although her time on the court has been marred by numerous injuries, she has made multiple comebacks and still plays professionally to this day.
Peter Crouch – 2m
Center forward Peter Crouch is one of the tallest players in world football. Over a career spanning nearly twenty years, “Crouchy,” as he is known to his teammates, has played for numerous clubs, including Southampton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, and Tottenham Hotspur, to name a few. He has been with his current club, Stoke City, since 2011 and, at the age of 36, remains a vital player for the club. His skeletal, six-foot-one frame defies the notion that all athletes must be toned and muscular. Crouchy doesn’t need a personal trainer.
Hong-Man Choi – 2.13m
Nicknamed the “Korean Colossus,” the “Korean Monster,” and the “Technological Goliath,” Hong-Man Choi has worked hard to become a master of kickboxing and MMA. Although his track record has faltered recently, Choi remains a national treasure in South Korea and continues to compete in the ROAD Fighting Championship. He has made numerous appearances on Korean television in recent years, guest-starring on shows such as 2 Days & 1 Night, Running Man, and Hey Ghost, Let’s Fight.
Margo Dydek – 2.13m
There’s no doubt that former basketball player Margo Dydek trained extensively to reach such a high level in the WNBA. The Warsaw, Poland native was officially the tallest professional player to grace the court. She is best remembered as a center for the Connecticut Sun. Later in her career, she worked in the Queensland Basketball League, coaching the Northside Wizards. Tragically, Dydek passed away on May 27, 2011. She had suffered a heart attack a week earlier and was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child.
Stefan Struve – 2.13m
UFC fighter Stefan Struve has been nicknamed the Skyscraper, and for good reason. After a serious gym workout, the Dutchman is officially the tallest fighter on the entire UFC roster. Despite losing his debut fight to Junior dos Santos at UFC 95, Struve has won 28 of his 37 fights, including eight by knockout. The MMA athlete lost his last fight to Alexander Volkov. However, Struve isn’t letting the loss discourage him and plans to bounce back quickly.
The Tree Man – 1.82
One of the greatest athletes of the modern era has made a name for himself through social media and is known as “The Fearsome Tree Man.” The story behind the name is pretty simple. A Twitter user noticed a photo of the 6-foot-7 man with a personal trainer certification and compared his stature to that of a huge tree. “That’s not a man, that’s a tree,” the user tweeted. Southern California native Danny Jones must be very happy with his recent publicity.
Amazon Eve – 1.82m
American model Erika Ervin is known to millions by her stage name, Amazon Eve. Also working as a professional fitness trainer, Eve stands at an astonishing 6 feet tall, and many media outlets consider her the tallest model on the planet. She has also graced the cover of Australian magazine Zoo Weekly. Due to her enormous publicity, Amazon Eve has even received opportunities on television, with her most notable appearance coming in 2014 when she starred in American Horror Story: Freak Show.
Andre The Giant – 2.13m, 235kg
The late, great André the Giant was considered by most to be one of the greatest wrestlers to ever step foot in a ring. At his peak, the man from “Grenoble in the French Alps” stood 7 feet 4 inches tall and weighed a staggering 520 pounds. No need for protein shakes—André was simply born that way! Even heavyweights like Hulk Hogan and King Kong Bundy didn’t stand a chance against André. The wrestler’s gigantism was due to excess growth hormones, and he died in 1993 of congestive heart failure.
Jorge Gonzalez – 243.84 m
Another athlete to reach 1.9 meters in his lifetime is Argentinian Jorge Gonzalez, who was a wrestler in his prime. Known as El Gigante, Gonzalez ended up training hard to enter the most iconic ring of all, WWE. He burst onto the scene as Giant Gonzalez at the 1993 Royal Rumble, eliminating the Undertaker in the process. However, it was the Undertaker who had the last laugh, getting his revenge on El Gigante at WrestleMania IX.
Holley Mangold – 188kg
At 415 pounds, Holley Mangold is one of the greatest female weightlifters of all time and has certainly put in many hours in the gym. She began her career in 2008 and represented Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics. She holds a personal best of 562.2 pounds. Holley isn’t the only Mangold to compete professionally. Her brother, Nick Mangold, played football center for the New York Jets. Holley currently coaches at the Dayton Barbell Club in Beavercreek, Ohio.
