Here is a list of world's largest athletes who'll blow your mind with their massive bodies.
The World's Largest Athletes - They Are Truly Massive
By
Zainab Pervez in
Sports
On 15th February 2021
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Nataliya Kuznetsova – 5’7″, 225 lb
Meet Nataliya Kuznetsova — a professional female bodybuilder from Russia. At just 29 years old, not only does Kuznetsova hold the world titles for arm lifting, bench press, and deadlifts but she’s also a proud champion of the European bench press and deadlift titles. Kuznetsova began powerlifting when she was only 14 years old in an attempt to gain muscle mass. In 2013, this powerhouse of a woman graduated from Moscow State Academy of Physical Culture. Today, she lives in Moscow with her husband, Vladislav Kuznetsov.
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Holley Mangold – 415 lbs
Weighing in at 415 pounds, Holley Mangold is one of biggest female weightlifters of all time and has certainly spent many hours in the gym. Starting her career in 2008, Mangold eventually represented the U.S. team at the 2012 London Olympics and has a personal weightlifting record of 562.2 pounds. However, Holley isn’t the only Mangold to compete at a professional level. Her brother, Nick Mangold, has played as a football center for the New York Jets. Holley currently coaches the Dayton Barbell Club in Beavercreek, Ohio.
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Sharran Alexander – 448 lb
Originally from London, 448 lb Sharran Alexander made history when she was named the heaviest sportswoman in the 2013 edition of the Guinness World Records. What is also amazing about the 2nd Kyu grade sumo wrestler is that she is one of the only women professionally recognized by the British Sumo Federation. To this day, Alexander has won four gold medals in international tournaments. Originally a nanny by profession, Alexander did a tone of exercise before starting sumo wrestling professionally fairly late, at 41 years of age.
Maria Sharapova – 6’2″
People often forget that Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is actually one of the tallest female tennis players in the game. Born in Russia, she moved to the U.S. in the early 90s and since 2001, worked hard at her local gym and fitness center and has been a consistent fixture in the WTA tour. Her career can be summed up as somewhat of a paradox. Although her time on the court has been marred by numerous injuries, she has made multiple comebacks and is still playing professionally to this day.
Konishiki Yasokichi – 633 lb
Officially the biggest rikishi ever to grace the world of sumo wrestling, Konishiki Yasokichi received nicknames such as “Dump Truck” and “Meat Bomb” because of his incredible peak weight of 633lb. Fans weren’t used to seeing foreigners (athletes from outside of Japan) succeeding in the sport. The man from Honolulu, Hawaii, didn’t need a professional personal fitness trainer to become so victorious. He won the top division three times and nearly became the first foreign yokozuna, or grand champion.
Margo Dydek – 7’2″
There is no doubt that former basketball player Margo Dydek worked out a lot to achieve so much in the WNBA. The woman from Warsaw, Poland was officially the tallest professional player to grace the court. She’ll be best remembered for playing center position for the Connecticut Sun. Later on in her career, she worked in the Queensland Basketball League, coaching the Northside Wizards. Tragically, Dydek passed away on May 27, 2011. She had suffered a heart attack a week beforehand and was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child.
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Emmanuel “Tiny” Yarbrough – 6’7″
His nickname is undoubtedly misleading to Emmanuel Yarbrough’s commanding stature. His sport of choice was sumo wrestling and rightly so—his size suited it. Yarbrough topped the scales at 828 lbs., and in the process earned a Guinness World Record for the heaviest athlete alive. His exploits weren’t only in sumo wrestling. Emmanuel tried his hand in mixed martial arts and even judo. In the latter, he achieved brown belt status and a silver medal at the US Nationals.
Stefan Struve – 7ft
UFC fighter Stefan Struve has been nicknamed the Skyscraper, and for a good reason. After maintaining a serious gym workout routine, the Dutchman is officially the tallest fighter on the company’s entire roster. Although he lost his debut match against Junior dos Santos at UFC 95, Struve has gone on to win an impressive 28 of his 37 matches, including 8 by knockout. The MMA athlete lost his most recent bout against Alexander Volkov. However, Struve isn’t letting this loss dishearten him and intends to bounce back very soon
The Tree Man – 6’7″
One of the biggest athletes of the modern era has made a name for himself through social media and is referred to as “The Fearsome Tree Man.” The story behind the name is pretty simple. A user on Twitter noticed a picture of the 6’7 man with a personal trainer certification and compared his stature to that of a huge tree. “This [is] not a man, this [is] a tree,” the user tweeted. Danny Jones from Southern California must be thoroughly happy with his recent publicity.
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Amazon Eve – 6’8″
American model Erika Ervin is known by millions by her stage name, Amazon Eve. Also working as a professional fitness trainer, Eve stands at a stunning 6 foot 8 inches, with many news outlets referring to her as the tallest model on the planet. She has also appeared on the cover of Australia magazine, Zoo Weekly. Because of her huge publicity, Amazon Eve has even received TV opportunities, with her most notable appearance coming in 2014 when she starred in American Horror Story: Freak Show.
Andre The Giant – 7’4″, 520 lb
The late, great, Andre the Giant was considered by most to be one of the greatest wrestlers ever to step foot in the ring. At his peak, the man billed from “Grenoble in the French Alps” stood at 7ft 4in and weighed a staggering 520lbs. There was no need for any protein shakes, Andre was simply born this way! Even heavyweights such as Hulk Hogan and King Kong Bundy rarely stood a chance against Andre. The wrestler’s gigantism was a result of an excess growth hormone, and he died in 1993 from congestive heart failure.
Jorge Gonzalez – 8ft
Another athlete to have reached 8ft in his life was the Argentinian-born Jorge Gonzalez, who was a wrestler in his heyday. Known by his ring name El Gigante, Gonzalez ended up working out a ton to get into the most iconic ring of them all, the WWE. He burst onto the scene as Giant Gonzalez at 1993’s Royal Rumble, eliminating The Undertaker in the process. However, it was Taker who got the last laugh when he got revenge on El Gigante at WrestleMania IX.
Mamadou N’Diaye – 7’6″
When he made his debut at 18 years of age, basketball player Mamadou N’Diaye was already 7ft 6in, which made him the tallest player in the NCAA Division 1. He originally played college basketball for UC Irvine before his NBA draft in 2016. Since then, he has played for Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and the Grand Rapids Drive. Although the comparisons to players such as Yao Ming and Rudy Gobert is unavoidable, N’Diaye is determined to keep moving forward with his strict fitness routine.
Randy Johnson – 6’8″
They didn’t call him “The Big Unit” for nothing. You can tell that Randy Johnson did a lot of weightlifting to ensure he had a fantastic throw! The former pitcher played an incredible 22 seasons, primarily for the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is officially the fifth most successful left-hander ever to grace the game. That’s not all though. Johnson made 4,875 strikeouts, the most a left-hander has ever produced. It also places him second in the all-time rankings, behind Nolan Ryan.
Usain Bolt – 6’5″
In a way, it doesn’t make sense how 6’5 Jamaican runner Usain Bolt has dominated the sprinting scene over the last decade. He is at least a foot taller than most of his competitors. However, it seems like his long legs give him a stride that has never been seen before in athletics. Bolt has done his time at the fitness center, inspiring the Jamaican team to Olympic triumphs, both in London 2012 and Brazil 2016. He is the only sprinter to have won the gold in the 100m and 200m at three consecutive competitions.
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Michael Phelps – 6’4″
As swimmers go, Michael Phelps stands out because he is not only the most talented and accomplished of his generation but also one of the biggest. Although not the tallest athlete on this list, his 6ft 4in height sets him apart from his closest rivals. After years of personal fitness training, Phelps has dominated the world stage of swimming since the turn of the century and has spearheaded the U.S. Team to Olympic glory in four of his five competitions. In total, he has won a staggering 28 Olympic medals.
Gheorghe Muresan – 7’7″
Although he wasn’t one of the most successful players in basketball history, you can tell that he attended many gym workout routines. At 7’7, Romanian Gheorghe Muresan is officially tied with Manute Bol as the tallest basketball player in the history of the NBA. However, the achievement doesn’t end there. Muresan is officially the tallest human being in the whole of the E.U. (European Union.) Also, did you know that he made a cameo in the music video for Eminem’s hit single “My Name Is”?
Yao Ming – 7’6″
When he was entering his final season in the NBA, Chinese basketball player Yao Ming was officially the tallest player in the division, coming in at a staggering 7’6″! Not only did he reach the NBA playoffs four times, but he also helped the Houston Rockets win the first round series in 2009. Two years later, Ming decided to retire from the game after a nagging foot injury. Despite trying to get back in the gym, it kept him sidelined for over 250 games of his final six seasons.
Jan Koller – 6’7.5″
As far as soccer players go, Jan Koller isn’t just one of the tallest, but he also weighs a lot for such a tall man (no protein shakes required.) In his heyday, the Czech player was a talented goalscorer, netting for the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, and Anderlecht. He was one of the stars of the famous Czech Republic team that made it to the semi-finals of Euro 2004. Other stars of that team included Milan Baros, Pavel Nedved, and Tomas Rosicky.
Darya Klishina – 5’11”
As far as female long jumpers go, you can tell that Darya Igorevna Klishina has been one of the most disciplined at the gym. Sadly, the athlete has been branded by her home nation of Russia as a traitor. After the scandal surrounding the Russian national federation, Klishina was in the clear and allowed to compete as a neutral in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. In fact, she was one of 19 other Russian athletes who did the same thing, so she wasn’t the only one.
Blanka Vlasic – 6’4″
Blanka Vlasic is certainly one of the most successful high jumpers of her generation. An indoor world champion, Vlasic has worked wonders for her home nation, Croatia. Despite suffering from a hyperthyroid condition, she bounced back with many gym workouts, and in total, has accumulated 16 international medals – 12 golds, three silvers, and one bronze. The European athlete of both 2007 and 2010 has also won silver and bronze at the Olympics. She can owe a lot of thanks to her father, who coached her through the hardest of times.
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Chuck Nevitt – 7’5″
Having played in the NBA for an incredible 12 seasons, Chuck Nevitt’s has played for numerous teams such as the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, and Chicago Bulls. Although he was never a household name in the world of basketball, having a career that spanned over a decade is an achievement that not many former players can brag about. To this day, Nevitt remains one of the tallest players ever to grace basketball and sport in general. Nevitt required minimal gym classes to get so tall!
Brittney Griner – 6’9″
For a start, look at those arms! Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s just make one thing clear – Brittney Griner has worked out a ton to become a great basketball player. She stands out from the crowd because she is the only NCAA player ever to have scored over 2,000 points and also to have blocked a staggering 500 shots! Griner recently had a large part to play in Team US’s basketball victory at the Olympics and since 2013, she has been representing Nike.
Rik Smits – 7’4″
Although taller players have come along since Rik Smits’ time, there is no denying that “The Dunking Dutchman” was a towering force to be reckoned with. At 7 foot and 4 inches, he didn’t need to train on the treadmill to much to capture the hearts of millions. Smits was also blessed with an incredible arsenal of skills. He spent the entirety of his NBA career playing for the Indiana Pacers. He was also named an NBA All-Star in 1998 inspired his team to the NBA Finals two years later.
Lacina Traore – 6’3″
Nicknamed “The Big Tree,” Lacina Traore has often stood in the shadows of other Ivorian strikers such as Didier Drogba, Wilfried Bony, and Salomon Kalou, who have all had more opportunities at international level. Although the Ivory Coast hasn’t qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Traore does have a few more years on him to do some intense exercise. The tall, gangly striker has already played for clubs such as Monaco, Everton, and Anzhi Makhachkala, scoring goals wherever he has played.
Dane De La Rosa – 6’7″
Dane De La Rosa has certainly been at the gym a lot to become one of the biggest athletes in the whole of professional baseball. The man from Torrance, California has played for huge MLB teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Although he is currently a free agent, De La Rosa has made a comeback before, having returned from a temporary retirement to sign briefly for the Sugar Land Skeeters. The pitcher’s earned run average is 4.24.
Zdeno Chara – 6’9″
Ice hockey can be a very violent sport at the best of times, so when you are someone as tall as Zdeno Chara, you have to make sure that you attend the fitness center a lot! The Slovakian defenseman comes in at a towering 6’9 and is officially the biggest player ever to grace NHL rinks. Currently, Chara is the captain of the Boston Bruins. Also, he is only the second player to win the Stanley Cup who has been born and raised in Europe.
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Andy Fordham – 6’2″, 445 lb
In the professional game of darts, there are many players who do not necessarily need a health club, gym or yoga club membership. Physical well-being hasn’t been the focus of darts players’ developments over the years. If you have the skill and accuracy, that is usually enough to build a career around. Take Andy Fordham, for example. At one point, the London-born pro weighed in at a whopping 445 pounds. Since then, he has lost half the weight.
Jon Rauch – 6’11”
Being the tallest player in MLB history, Jon excelled at the sport he was built to play. He is right-handed and held the pitcher position for the time he was active. He played for various MLB teams like the Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks. His success in the league certainly helped earn Rauch an Olympic Gold Medal.
Eddy Curry – 7′
Considered to be one of the best basketball players drafted from high school, Eddy Curry initially did not plan on playing the game. He aspired to be a gymnast until he started playing for his high school’s basketball team. Curry rises to a height of seven feet and weighs 295 lbs. He is no regular athlete by any measure. Moreover, his stature critically improved his sports career and has seen him play for a multitude of the NBA’s biggest teams. Curry has seen time on the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks.
