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!
