The world's tallest and shortest women had their first meeting in the UK, enjoying an afternoon tea in true London style. Rumeysa Gelgi, standing at 7ft (2m 15.16cm) from Turkey, met Jyoti Amge, who measures just 62.8cm (24.7 inches) and hails from India.
As two of Guinness World Records' most cherished title holders, they were celebrated as GWR ICONS on the book's 70th anniversary edition. Their week-long visit to London included tours of iconic sites like Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, coinciding with the 20th annual Guinness World Records Day (GWR Day). Despite their differing perspectives, the two women shared common ground due to their heights, discussing their mutual interests in make-up, self-care, and nail art.
Rumeysa, the tallest living woman, who has the rare Weaver syndrome causing accelerated growth and skeletal deformities, expressed her joy at meeting Jyoti. "It was incredible meeting Jyoti for the first time. Though eye contact was challenging due to our height difference, it was a wonderful experience," she said. Rumeysa, the 27th diagnosed case and the first in Turkey, uses a wheelchair and can only stand briefly with a walker. She advocates for Weaver syndrome and works as a qualified web designer.
Jyoti, an actress known for her role as Ma Petite in American Horror Story, remarked, "I'm accustomed to looking up at taller people, but today I was thrilled to look up and see the world's tallest woman. Meeting Rumeysa was delightful; she is so kind, and I felt at ease talking to her." Jyoti holds records for being the shortest actress and shortest living woman, having a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia that limits her height. In 2009, she was recognized as the shortest teenager living (female) at 61.95 cm (2ft), and at 18, she qualified for the shortest living woman category at 62.8 cm (2ft 0.7in).
The special day's celebrations also featured talents from the Middle East, including record-holders from the UAE. Hamed Ali Al Shehhi from the Emirates set two remarkable records: the farthest backheel kick of a football into a basket (12 metres) and the most heel-to-foot football juggles in 30 seconds (16). From Dubai, Syrian Yara Khudair and Emiratis Abdullah Al Hattawi and Mohammed Al Balushi achieved the longest distance covered while performing a side split on two moving ATVs, spanning 400 metres. In Sharjah, Ammar Al Khudairy impressed with 127 consecutive football touches while paragliding. Egyptian Rami Abdel Hamid accomplished 33 consecutive pull-ups in open water in a single breath, while Syrian Adnan Al Mousa secured two titles: the heaviest single repetition weighted pull-up in a wheelchair (32.60 kg) and the most pull-ups in a wheelchair in one minute (10 repetitions). Lebanese Bashar Salha set the record for the most rope skips on a ledge in 30 seconds (70), and Turkish Osman Gürcü achieved the farthest basketball hook shot at 25 metres.
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