Rumeysa Gelgi, a 24-year-old Turkish woman, has been named the tallest living woman, measuring 215.16 centimeters, according to an announcement from the Guinness World Records on Wednesday.
Rumeysa was re-measured this year after she was first awarded the title of the tallest living female teenager back in 2014, when she was 18.
“It’s an honor to welcome Rumeysa back into the record books. Her indomitable spirit and pride at standing out from the crowd is an inspiration. The category of tallest living woman is not one that changes hands very often, so I’m excited to share this news with the world,” said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records.
Rumeysa’s stature is due to Weaver syndrome, an extremely rare condition that causes accelerated growth among other abnormalities including skeletal maturation.
The condition means that Rumeysa uses a wheelchair most of the time but can move for short periods with a walker.
She says her height intrigues people when they pass her on the street, but most people are kind and supportive when they meet her for the first time.
In her free time Rumeysa likes to go out for meals with her family and finds swimming helps her to relax. Her family is very happy and proud of her for having the Guinness World Records title.
In addition to Rumeysa, Sultan Kösen who at 2.51 centimeters is the tallest living male in the world, is also from Turkey. It is a rare occurrence in Guinness World Records history for the tallest living male and female record holders to be from the same country.
The last time the two holders shared the same nationality was in 2009, when China’s Bao Xi Shun (236.1 cm) and Yao Defen (233.3 cm) held the tallest male and female records, respectively.