At 27.46 inches tall, 24 year old Edward Niño Hernandez from Bogota has today been confirmed as the World's Shortest Man (Monday 6 September). Guinness World Records awarded the record after months of searching for a new title holder following the sudden death of He Ping Ping in March this year who had previously held the record for more than 3 years.
Hernandez is 1.5 inches shorter than Ping Ping and weighs just 10 kilos (22 pounds). However, he doesn't know why he's so small because Doctors have never given him a diagnosis. According to his mother, he hasn't grown since he was 2 years old.
In his daily life, Eduardo helps out with the family's pyjama-making business, loves to dance the popular Latin American 'reggaeton' and dreams of seeing the world. Now, the diminutive Colombian takes his place in the chronicles of history with one of the highest profile record titles. He will be honoured with pride of place in the 2011 edition of the Guinness World Records book, published next week (16th September).
However, it may turn out to be one of the shortest-held records ever. The Colombian's reign could end in just five weeks when competitor for the title, Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal, turns 18. Named in the new book as the World's Smallest Teen, Magar is 2 inches smaller than Hernandez (at 25.8 inches tall) but will not be recognised by Guinness World Records in the Shortest Man category until he comes of age on 14th October.
As such, until then, Eduardo Niño Hernandez is free to enjoy his new found fame. Although he doesn't like being touched and picked up all the time, he say he enjoys having his picture taken, is considering a career in acting having already appeared in a Colombian film and names Jackie Chan, Sylvester Stallone and Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe among the people he would most like to meet.
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