Extraordinary
Professional athletes are renowned for pushing the boundaries of what ordinary people are capable of. Whether it relates to how strong, fast, or skillful they become, the sporting world has never been short of exceptional people.
Regarding size, pro athletes are known for taking this to extremes too. However, when one speaks of the “largest” athletes, this may not always relate to a literal definition of the word. As our list of the largest athletes aptly demonstrates, the term is often used relatively.
Andre The Giant
Andre proved to be one of the superstars in a defining generation of wrestling. Andre was not just a crowd favorite but an inspiration to many.
He was known for his grit in turning his impoverished background into a multimillion-dollar empire. At more than seven feet tall and weighing half a ton, Andre the Giant was one colossal athlete with a personality to match.
Choi Hong-Man
To illustrate why our list of largest athletes is relative. In comparison to Andre the Giant, this next athlete is downright puny. However, when his size is considered within the sport he competes, it’s a different story entirely.
At 7-foot, 2-inches, Hong-Man is considered massive in the world of kickboxing, where he competes professionally. With height, incredible strength, and reach, his size has proven to be a great advantage.
Yao Ming
Even among giants, some make others seem ordinary. Yao Ming was one such giant. After leaving China to compete in the NBA, at 7-foot, 6-inches, Ming has left a significant legacy on the game.
Although injuries have blighted his career, his time in the NBA and enormous size gave him cult status during the nine seasons he spent there.
Margo Dydek
Sticking with basketball but moving to women now, Margo Dydek stands out on that front. At 7-foot, 2-inches, she towers over most men around her too.
Not just prized for her size, Dydek was also the number one pick in the 1998 WNBA draft and a two-time all-star. As far as female athletes go, Dydek was considered a giant. However, she wasn’t the only one.
Blanka Vlašić
In comparison to the actual giants above, a woman that’s 6-foot, 3-inches tall might seem positively average in such company. However, in women’s professional high jumping, there are none bigger than Blanka Vlašić
She is a two-time world champion and an Olympic medallist twice over. Ranking as the second-highest jumper in female history, Vlašić is a legend in her own right and a giant of the sport.
John Isner
When one thinks of tennis, one seldom thinks of giant players. In a game where speed, finesse, and agility often count more, being huge may be considered a disadvantage. However, as 6-foot, 10-inch tennis player John Isner shows, size can matter.
Feared for his ferocious serve, Isner has won many titles and ranked in the top 10 in the world. Despite his massive height for a tennis player, he has proven as nimble as any and uses his added strength as an advantage.
Sharran Alexander
When people think of sumo wrestlers, huge Japanese men usually come to mind. Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing almost half a ton, British female sumo wrestler Sharran Alexander proves that the sport is more diverse than most people know.
In 2013, Alexander held the record for the heaviest professional sportswoman in the world and represented Britain at the World Sumo Championships. Alexander’s also shown that large athletes come in many shapes and sizes.
Noah Steere
Standing close to 7 feet tall, Noah Steere is one of the tallest professional bodybuilders. As if that’s not imposing enough, his sheer muscle mass is close to 400 pounds.
He owns a personal nutrition brand and has competed in some of the most prestigious bodybuilding contests out there. Redefining big, Noah’s arms are a whopping 26 inches. Yikes!
Natalia Kuznetsova
This Russian female bodybuilder proves that female powerhouses are equally imposing as their male counterparts. Having won the European and World powerlifting championships, Kuznetsova is a force to be reckoned with.
While not that large on the height scale, she weighs in with over 200 pounds of pure muscle. Often told that she is “too masculine”, Kuznetsova subscribes to the notion that beauty is relative and that any woman can be beautiful in their own way.
Darya Klishina
Sticking with phenomenal Russian, female athletes, next on our list is professional long jumper Darya Klishina. Revered for her athletic prowess, as well as her stunning looks, and impressive height, Klishina's biggest claim to “size” comes from a different source.
Despite being almost 6 feet tall, Klishina can clear more than 22 feet when she long jumps. While not the largest athlete, it’s certainly difficult to ignore that ability.
Carriejune Anne
Standing at 5-foot, 6-inches, Anne is on the shorter end of the height spectrum. However, as a famous model and bodybuilder, she is renowned for her muscular physique.
The most startling part of Anne’s physique is undoubtedly her lower body. Definitely not one to skip leg day; Anne’s thighs are close to 15 inches each in diameter and packed with pure muscle.
Morteza Mehrzad
Mehrzad is an Iranian sitting volleyball player. Born with a rare disorder that triggered excessive growth hormone production in his body, Mehrzad stands at a whopping 8 feet. Mehrzad struggled with his physical and mental health throughout his early life.
He got his break when the Iranian national team coach for sitting volleyball convinced him to join the team. He has gone on to represent his country at the Paralympics, where he helped his team secure a gold medal.
Brittney Griner
Griner is as big as they come in women’s basketball. As a legendary player in the WNBA, Griner’s physical stats are impressive, to say the least.
Almost 7 feet tall, Griner also wears a men’s size 17 sneaker. These physical attributes aside, Griner’s most famous attribute is the fact that she has an arm span of 87.5 inches.
Beast Mode
As you can see, big athletes come in many different shapes and sizes. However, the common thread is that they have all found a way to use their massive size advantages in their favor.
Standing as inspirational models for the heights that can be reached when training and conditioning regimes are taken to extremes, these phenomes of the sport stand out in every way.