It’s every parent’s dream that their children end up taller than them. But what if they go over the expectations? Such is the case of 14-year-old Ren Keyu (nickname name Xiaoyu), who hails from Sichuan Province, China and has received the Guinness World Records (GWR) title for the tallest male teenager. 

He was asked to report to Leshan People’s Hospital and was measured three times throughout the day. GWR requires that measurements include standing height, lying height, hand length, hand span, foot length, foot width, arm span, and half-arm span. After GWR reviewed the measurements submitted, it was confirmed and announced that Xiaoyu is officially the world’s tallest male teenager at 221.03 cm or 7 ft. and 3.02 inches.

It can be very awkward for Xiaoyu being much taller than the norm, especially when he was a toddler. Though his parents and grandparents are between 175 cm or 5.8 ft and 190 cm or 6.3 ft in height, his family was still alarmed at the growth he was able to reach at such a young age. His height was already at 150 cm or 5 ft when he was in kindergarten, leading his family to get the boy checked at the hospital. Gigantism was first suspicion, but his growth hormone and pituitary gland were all normal.

The ninth grader faces many challenges, but the school and his family try to make it easier for him by providing custom-made desks, chairs, and even the bed for him. He told GWR, “In some people’s minds, tall stature is always associated with the simplicity of mind.” But he proves everyone wrong as he is often top of his class. 

Another challenge with his height is that he could not play basketball and other sports, so he uses his free time to read books and play other less strenuous games. He wishes to be an e-sports player when he grows up.