Maria Magdalena Andrejczyk is only 5'9", but she really stands out. Here's an article from NPR:

An Olympian Sold Her Silver Medal To Fund A Boy's Surgery. The Buyer Let Her Keep It

August 19, 2021 | 3:02 PM ET

Just days after the Tokyo Olympics, a Polish javelin thrower auctioned off her silver medal to help pay for an infant's heart surgery.

Maria Magdalena Andrejczyk announced on Facebook last week that she would sell her medal and put the proceeds toward an operation for 8-month-old Miłoszek Małysa. According to a fundraiser page, the boy is under home hospice care and requires an urgent operation in the United States.

This week, Andrejczyk announced the auction winner.

The Polish convenience store chain Żabka placed the top bid, paying $125,000 for the silver medal, according to media reports.

But instead of collecting its prize, Żabka announced it would let Andrejczyk keep the silver medal after all.

"We were moved by the beautiful and extremely noble gesture of our Olympian," the company said in a Facebook post translated from Polish. "We also decided that the silver medal from Tokyo will remain with Ms. Maria, who showed how great she is."

The 25-year-old athlete nabbed second place during the Olympic women's javelin throw final in early August.

After the auction closed, Andrejczyk said in a translated Facebook post that the medal was to her a "symbol of struggle, faith and the pursuit of dreams despite many adversities."

She added: "I hope that for you it will be a symbol of the life we ​​fought for together."

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P.S.: NPR forgot to mention that Ms. Andrejczyk is "familiar with adversity". She missed placing in the 2016 Rio Games by a few centimeters. In 2018, she was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Priest, 86, stabbed and robbed by '6ft tall woman' while preparing sermon in rural Ireland

BY: Aidan Lonergan
August 22, 2018

GARDAÍ are hunting a mystery knifewoman after an elderly priest was attacked as he prepared a sermon for Sunday Mass.

Fr John Delaney, 86, was at home in the Parochical House in Coon, Co. Kilkenny when he was assaulted at around 5pm on Saturday evening.

A large woman entered the house and brandished a knife before striking Fr Delaney and causing a laceration to the back of his head, reports the Kilkenny People.

The assailant demanded cash and stole money from the priest before fleeing the scene in a cream-coloured vehicle.

Fr Delaney raised the alarm and a neighbour brought him to hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

Gardaí have conducted a technical examination of the scene and are appealing to the public for help to catch the culprit.

Superintendent Derek Hughes said: "We are appealing for information on a small cream-coloured car.

"The culprit is a female and is described as being of a strong build, approximately six feet tall with dark hair.

"We are treating this very seriously and although we are following a number of lines of enquiry we are also seeking the co-operation of the public to help solve this particularly heinous crime.

"We have a number of officers working on the investigation."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Castlecomer Garda Station on 056 444 1222, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

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Hello!

We are a production company based in Miami, and we specialize in magazine shoots, advertising, travel videos, music videos, and lots more. We are now searching for US, and Europe based models for Paid work in fashion, art, and product representation.

Irene Seiberling

Published on: April 5, 2016 | Last Updated: April 5, 2016 9:57 AM CST

Lisa Peters has been a statuesque six feet tall since she was 13 years old. Her height has presented wardrobe challenges. But she’s learned to embrace being tall and wear her height with pride.

“You have got to love your height,” said Peters, a community television host and event architect.

For Peters, who is in her mid 40s, that means wearing clothes that fit properly and flatter her frame. No short shirt sleeves and pant legs for this gal!

Off-the-rack purchases are a rarity for her.

“I don’t shop a lot,” Peters said.

Finding a bargain, but then having to pay to have major alterations done, doesn’t appeal to her. So instead, Peters prefers to invest in custom-made garments that she knows will fit properly. For those pieces, she turns to Regina fashion designers Dean Renwick and Danine Schlosser.

“I love their designs,” she said.

Peters also orders basic wardrobe pieces online from Long Tall Sally, which specializes in clothing and shoes for tall women.

Fitted dresses are her preference, rather than two-piece outfits. And she prefers solids to prints — partly because they don’t create issues when seated in front of the TV camera.

“And I like solids because I can match them to my accessories more,” she explained. “And I love colour.”

Her accessories are predominantly from Fifth Avenue Collection. Statement jewelry pieces help her change the look of her outfits with ease.

Because she sits when hosting Talk of the Town on Access TV’s community channel, Peters is careful not to wear a skirt that rides up.

“I want to present a professional look,” she said.

That also holds true in her role as an event architect for Eye Inspire Events. Peters needs to dress appropriately for whatever gala she’s overseeing.

Whether it’s in front of the camera or behind the scenes at a posh fundraising gala, Peters always makes sure she has good shoes. Most of her footwear comes from Lusso and Zoe’s in Regina and Traxx in Saskatoon.

She even has shoes she never wears out — they’re just for sitting in her TV host chair.

“I wear high heels on TV because I’m sitting,” she said. “I’m 6′ 4″ in heels when I stand … So at events I may wear working flats.”

But you won’t catch her in flats on air. “I don’t think flats look good on TV.”

Because she’s in the public eye so much, Peters now recycles outfits more than she used to. “I can’t afford not to,” she said matter-of-factly.

What advice does Peters have for tall women? “Find great-fitting clothes … Or alter your clothes to fit you. You will feel better!”

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

twitter.com/ISeiberling

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6'0" Aimee wrote (April 5th, 2014)

I'm only 14 and still growing but I love being tall! Sure, as a teenager I do feel self-conscious but people are jealous of my height! When I was walking through a shop with my mum, a little girl (about 5) said to her Mum, "Mummy, that girl is so tall!!!" her mum went to tell her off but she continued "I want to be like her when I grow up!" that made me feel good!

5'10" Anna wrote (February 11th 2014)

What really sucks, in my opinion anyways, is that I'm only ever hit on by short men and when I tell them my height their all "OHMYGOD, YOU'RE AN AMAZONIAN!" once, a guy even asked if I was an alien. I grew up with the "are you gonna play basketball when you're older?" (I was the tallest kid in my fifth grade class). Even now I'm still asked if I play basketball or if I'm going to and I'm like "why? cause I'm tall?" it's annoying. What's also annoying is when people say "Whoa! You're taller than me!" and I'm like, Oh, Sherlock, I didn't even notice. The good thing is, my best friend is also tall and we share our "tall girl problems" together. I also hate hearing the "God! You're feet are bigger than mine!" especially from men, it makes me feel bad.

At christmas my uncle (who is also VERY TALL) had brought his girlfriend home and I was talking to my twin cousins and their very short and one of them complained her feet couldn't touch the ground and I was like "I'd love to be short like that!" and she goes "I graduated with a girl who was 6ft, don't feel bad" and my uncle's girlfriend stood up and was like "What's wrong with that? I'm 6ft." and I decided I want to embrace my height like she has, I'd feel so much better. So, I am very thankful I found this site!

6'2" Dahlanee wrote (April 30th 2014)

Tall women are what men ,children, and girls look up to we are PHENOMENAL in everyway possible with are long legs to are beautiful smile we are TALL,BEAUTIFUL IN EVERYWAY 

5'11 1/2" Dasia wrote (February 24th 2014):

Hi, my name is Dasia. I am 14 and 5'11 1/2". I have been teased since I was in 7th grade because I may not have been as short as others. I have been called "Clifford, the big red dog" and "telephone pole" or a "tree". :( But I didn't let that bring me down... well maybe sometimes. My parents are tall too. My mom is 5'11" and my dad is 6'1" or 6'2". What really brings me down is when people say "oh, you're ugly and you'll never have a boyfriend", because I'm tall. I fight back and stand up for myself. It's ok to be tall.

At least tall people get to ride roller coasters. LOL, jk. But you have to love yourself or no one will. Maybe in time I will have a boyfriend and they wouldn't care if I'm tall or not. I realized that God gave me a gift and it's time that I accept it whether I like it or not. (Which I do). LOL. I am taller than all of my friends, but there are people (boys) that are way taller than me. Compared to them I look really short because they're like 6'4" or 6'5"! I do get annoyed when people, well, actually boys that are shorter than me say "dang, girl you are tall and sit there and crack jokes??? It's really annoying especially when they say you can never have a boyfriend. Yes I can. Every tall girl is beautiful - we may not be short like other girls or look as pretty as them but that doesn't mean no guy can ever like / love us. And I do get good compliments like "oh, you should be a model or basketball player". Well you know what? I don't! I want to be whoever I want to be. Everyone's beautiful! Tall Girls Rock!!!

5'11 1/2" Jewel wrote (March 26th 2014)

Joerg how are you, long time.

Anyways, when it comes to love, if it is real it puts no conditions that are shallow. I think physicality does not necessarily possess much bearing on a persons capabilities.  i.e. a tall woman is not necessarily "strong".  She may be just as strong or just as weak a your average female. I can attest to the above because just yesterday, a mechanic who is working on one of my cars surprised me beyond belief. This guy is about 5.6 and a half.  or 5.7.5 at a push. He is wiry type of thin/small - which is thin but sinewy, probably 5% body fat.  By no means "buff" or "big" or chunkily muscly built.

Anyways, the car is stuck in the mad and the tow track needs to pick it up, but it is in a complicated position - behind a building corner. You need to see how he pushed this car to the front!  The car ofcourse is off, not working so I had to steer whilst the guys pushed.  They were two in total pushing.  The other guy was no match. It was a six sitter biggish car. But he pulled and pushed - my was I shocked!

It certainly showed me that although most guys are big, they are not strong at all.  This what I had there?  - now that was a REAL man.

If a heavily pregnant woman needed picking up off the floor?  This guy demonstrated by miles that this would be a piece of cake for him.

First impressions of size tend to betray the truth as it were.  You may feel secure that he is big but is he strong.  Can he push your car to safety if it ran out of petrol?

A man's man is what is needed.  That guy yesterday?  Really did something to show that a guy doesn't have to be big to be strong. 

Tchuss Joerg.
Jewel.

5'11" Layla wrote (March 16th 2014)

Hey... I love this page. It makes me feel confident a lot... I kinda come from a tall family but I realised I'm way taller than my cousins and friends. I'm happy coz my mum really encourages me to wear heels even if I don't want to. Sometimes I feel like I could take on the world and fly but there are always those people whoz gonna be like "girl, u soo tall" but I just tell them I'm not a dwarf. LOL. I hate it when shorter guys act like they don't care and ask me out. I hate it. I want guys 6'2" and above. I love being tall cause I'm going to be a famous super model and I will be one the role models you gonna love. God is not a fool. Love who you are!

Raqui is a writer, poet, speaker, activist and much more (i.e. LargeinCharge)

They say you should never judge a book by its cover. I truly feel that the same goes for a person. You can never observe one moment in a persons life, and believe that is all they are. There are many pages to a book and many pages to a person, pages where they write their history. They create their book of life by the actions they take and the deeds that they do. The experiences and challenges they go through set a mold and it is the person who decides what form the mold will take.

My name is Raqui and I am known to many people in life and across the internet for many different reasons. For every person who thinks they know what I am about, this site is going to surprise you. I am about to introduce you to another page in the book of Raqui. Through these pages you will find out the many Dimensions that make me the woman I am today and the woman I will become tomorrow. These are my pages in the book of my life.

There is nothing in my life that I regret, I have never done anything that I am ashamed of. So I am laying it on the line and giving all those who are interested in working with me the real story behind my persona and what I have done through out my years to advance into the person I am today.

I hope you enjoy your journey into the world of Raqui.

Visit her website

Q: I'm a tall woman. Really tall. Tall enough to be a supermodel (though I don't have the wide eyes and cheekbones), and tall enough to be on the Australian women's volleyball team (if only I were coordinated). I've always found it difficult to meet guys who are as tall as or taller than me, so I've given up and now rather fancy short guys. I find I'm not attracted to anyone over about 5 foot 5 (which is even shorter than Rove). But these guys don't want a bar of me - they're much more inclined to look in the petite section of RSVP. I find it so infuriating. How can I convince these little cuties to look past my towering height and give me a chance?

HELP! Tall Girl

A: Towering beauties have entranced some of the world's cutest short-statured men. Don't believe me? Take movie mogul Tom Cruise (5'7) and Katie Holmes (5'9); Brit music star Jamie Callum (5'4) and Sophie Dahl (6'0) and French President Nicolas Sarkozy (5'5) and Carla Bruni (5'9). These men don't mind looking up to their women, but all have something in common - confidence by the bucketload and successful careers of their own. That's your ticket to finding love with a sexy jockey/rowing coxswain or gymnast. They need to be so self-possessed and secure that they don't give two hoots about having their gal sling an arm around them for a photo opp - or be better at changing light bulbs, for that matter.

My advice to finding your mini Prince Charming? Start targeting smaller men with a swagger. Don't hide your height on online dating forums either - advertise your supermodel stature. Where it asks for your vital stats type in: "I have legs that won't quit, won't be overlooked at the bar and can always be spotted across a crowded rooom." Upload a photo that emphasises your willowyness. After all - tall is super-sexy.

Joerge sure thinks so - he set up a website celebrating the gorgeousness of tall women like Geena Davis, Brooke Shields and Uma Thurman (all 6 footers). Check it out for a total confidence boost at Tallwomen.org.

Oh, and while you're at it, have you heard about the aptly named Alexis Skye? At 6'4, she's got size 13 feet, can't slam dunk and once made up a name tag that said "Yes, I'm 6'4" so she could get on with her job at a local diner without the nightly barrage of questions. See - tall ladies are infinitely fascinating. Now, she's making a packet having fun with her height and making men drool all over the world - shorties included!

Love, reality chick

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Meet the Women of My Giant Life

posted: 07/08/15
by: Rebecca Goldberg

COLLEEN a.k.a. COCO - San Diego

At six feet six inches tall, Colleen is not an average single gal playing the field. The 36-year-old, former pro-volleyball player is on the hunt for a man - someone between Mr. Right and Mr. Right Now - with the assistance of her best friends, Chris and Michael. She also faces the struggles of moving home to San Diego, settling into her new apartment, and tricking it out with the "tall hacks" that she uses to customize her space.

HALEIGH - Huntington Beach, California

23-year-old Haleigh stands at six feet seven inches tall and has a world of possibilities at her fingertips: a professional volleyball career that will take her around the globe, a master's degree, and all the promise that comes from being young and talented. Her much shorter, 32-year-old boyfriend, Bryan, is ready to settle down and have a handful of kids, but Haleigh's father is worried that he's going to slow his daughter down.

NANCY - Cypress, Texas

At a staggering six feet nine inches tall, Nancy is anything but an average American high school student. She is going through the rites of passage of being a teenage girl: learning to drive, finding a date to prom and then selecting the perfect dress, but none of those are easy when you're seventeen and so much taller than your classmates. Nancy learns how to rise to the challenge of being exceptional as she figures out how to navigate life as a rising basketball superstar.

LINDSAY - Los Angeles

Statuesque and striving to make a name for herself, Lindsay stands out from any crowd at six feet nine inches tall. The actress and former wrestler is the Guinness World Record holder for the Tallest Actress in a Leading Role. She gets her height from her father, but she hasn't seen him since she was 11-years-old. Ready to put the demons of her past to rest and move on, Lindsay is on a quest to locate her father and ask him why he left her all those years ago.

Read the full article on the TLC website

I have been tall all my life....I reached my current height of 6'4" when I was 11 years old and in elementary school. I have also been BBW for most of my life (as far as I can remember, I have always been a double digit dress size), so I have had quite awhile to get used to my size and stature. Some things have changed over the years and decades, most notably fashion and clothing for women of height. I remember in elementary and junior high school having to wear men's shirts so the sleeves would be long enough and keeping them buttoned all the time so no could tell it was a man's shirt. I remember too short pants and my mom treating me to the one tall specialty shop in DC once a year for dresses and skirts. Today, plus size stores such as Torrid, Avenue, and Lane Bryant are catering to women who are not only blessed with extra curves but those with extra height.

One thing that has not changed is the dating game but I have to say regardless of height, weight, age or race...all women find themselves in the same boat. I live in Washington, DC...land of men who are shallow and/or shy....they tend to measure their masculinity and worth in inches (height and "other places") and judge women by their numbers (weight and dress size), so the more above average a woman is, the more unique her challenges. I am constantly asked two questions (usually back to back): how tall are you, which I find completely unoriginal and a little invasive. What if I asked every short man I met how tall he is? They would not take it very well, but I find myself asking men taller than me how tall they are. I tell them it is rare to find a man taller than me, which it is. Maybe I am the pot calling the kettle black. The second question is: did you ever play basketball, which I find discriminatory and restricting. Is that all tall girls are capable of or supposed to do? Besides, look at me...do I LOOK like playing sports has ever been a part of my lifestyle? However, my standard answer is I have always been more academic than athletic.

I find that with my height, there is no shortage of men who are interested in me, but these men can placed in one of three categories: fetish seekers who view me as an object instead of a person; the ones with inadequacy issues who wonder if they can "handle" me and the guys who view me as a regular person. The guys in the last category are far and few between and tend to friendzone me. The fetish seekers are the worst. I get endless questions and comments about my height, who's the tallest guy I ever dated, who's the shortest, do I wear heels, so I know how tall I would be if I wore heels, what size are my feet...and the list goes on. Conversations with these men are painful and dates are impossible.

The inadequate men always have questions about their manhood, which is surprising to me as they like to ask those questions before even asking my name. I tend to cut those men off at the pass VERY quickly but ended up inadvertently not only dating one, but falling in love with him. That did not end well (he married someone else who was shorter than he was) but I really should have seen it coming : he kept telling me I needed someone younger, taller, more...everything. And last but not least are the regular guys...they tend to be shorter also, but they are more confident in themselves and realize that this is not a one size fits all world. They see my intelligence and personality and are genuinely interested in who I am and how I am doing versus asking me how the air is up here. Unfortunately, they are usually already taken which keeps our friendship a friendship, we are not attracted to each other "that way" or they are as damaged goods as I am if not more so.

Usually, I have always dated men shorter than I...I have dated two men my height and it is wonderful to be able to look someone in the eye standing up. Unfortunately, tall men tend to go for short women, which leaves my end of the scale a bit unbalanced. Although, the little man (seriously, he was a midget) was a little too far on the wrong end of the scale for me to even contemplate. It is hard being a tree in a sea of shrubs...it takes me a minute to realize how tall I am because for me...it feels "normal", whatever that is. It is hard to know how I come across to men because I am such a girly girl and tend to dress and be very feminine so I wonder why in the world they are intimidated. However, I have had years to adjust to my height; I tend to forget that people who just meet me have not.
But like most single women of any age, race and size...I am somewhat hopeful that there will be a man out there who not only will welcome the challenge of a tall woman but will happily meet and conquer them.

I hope you enjoyed my post...if you would care to find out more about me or read more of my work, please feel free to check out my blog. Thanks for reading!

Visit my blog

ROUCHA 

ROUCHA is designed for women - curvy, straight, short and tall.

It’s a solution for petite women who are over having to hem all their clothes, and for tall women on whom clothing is consistently, unintentionally cropped. Standard size charts assume that as we get taller, we get larger. ROUCHA doesn't make this assumption and offers clothing in varied lengths and widths.

Visit the ROUCHA website

RTD food columnist took a break from topic to take up fashion debate with popular syndicated columnist Erma Bombeck in 1976

Nicole Kappatos

Erma Bombeck was a columnist who wrote about suburban home life from the mid-1960s to the 1990s. Bombeck authored thousands of newspaper columns, often with a sense of humor, chronicling the life of an ordinary suburban housewife. She had millions of readers in the U.S. and Canada.

In September 1976, Times-Dispatch food columnist Nancy Finch received a newspaper clipping in the mail from her mother who lived in Lakeland, Florida. The clip was an Erma Bombeck column about the problems short women faced buying clothes. Bombeck closed the column saying “I am well aware…that tall girls have their problems…but if they want to complain, they’re going to have to get their own column.”

Finch, a tall woman, was up for the challenge. She used her column space, normally focused on discussing food, to challenge Bombeck on the equally frustrating fashion issues faced by tall women.
 
Here is what Finch had to say:

Dear Erma,

I am 5 feet, 10 inches tall and I have my own column, thank you—even if it is supposed to be about food. But I can’t let your challenge go by. So hemlines have dropped and all five feet two of you is tripping over them. I’m not the least bit sympathetic.

I’ve been going around looking like a majorette for the past 10 years or since whenever the mini struck. While you’re just now having to start taking them up—I’ve been letting them down, forever.

It all started back when I was a junior bridesmaid at age 12 and I was taller than the bride, the bridegroom and all the ushers.

While everyone else wears long sleeves, I’ve been wearing “bracelet length.” Salesladies have been assuring me it was the “latest” for 25 years.

Mrs. Bombeck, you have tangled with the wrong tall tiger.

Have you ever tried wearing panty hose with the waistband around your knees? Did you ever have a date tell you he just loved dancing “cheek to chest” with you?

Did you know that clothing manufacturers think there is no such thing as a tall pregnant woman? Can you imagine wearing a sheet for nine months with armholes and a headhole cut in it?

While you can’t find your feet, the hems have finally hit my knees and I am doomed forever to looking like something out of a vintage Sears catalog.

Have you ever looked at a 21-inch baby daughter and wondered what hath you and your 6 feet 4 husband wrought?

I won’t even go into the rest. Undoubtedly you wear a size 5 shoe and couldn’t possibly know what it’s like to be directed to the men’s department when you ask a shoe salesman if he carried size 11 ½.

You are quite right there is an existing population on this earth that is short. And it is the majority.

It has us bumping our heads on car doors, because hunch-back from bending over to chop onions and brush our teeth, scrunching up in bathtubs made for pygmies and generally suffering all sorts of abuse and indignities.

Now that we have finished with women, senior citizens and children’s lib, I have one hope, TALL LIBERATION.

Nancy Kissinger, stop standing there towering over Henry. We need you!

NOTE: Nancy Kissinger was the wife of then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. She was about six feet tall and Henry was 5 feet 4 inches.

Bombeck never responded to Finch’s column. Finch recently shared that in response to her column she had an outpouring of gratitude from fellow tall women in the Richmond area.

The Virginia Repertory Theater will debut “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End” at the Hanover Tavern, a comedic one-woman show about the well known columnist. The show will run from March 2-April 8, 2018.

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‘Running Man’ Star Kim Jong Kook Receives Backlash From ‘Tall Women’ Comment, Sparks Netizen Debate Over Alleged Sexist Statement

by RG Ferrer / May 02, 2017 05:33 AM EDT

The recent episode of "Running Man" gave viewers a glimpse at the physical attributes of Kim Jong Kook's ideal woman. However, the South Korean musician's "tall women" comment offended several netizens who claimed that it was a sexist remark.

"Running Man" viewers were surprised when Kim Jong Kook shared his opinion over the attractiveness of short ladies versus tall women. Aired on April 30, Sunday, the said cast member mentioned how men would usually prefer to date women who were not tall. The statement was made in response to guest star Sistar's Hyorin comment where she lamented over her short height.

Kim Jong Kook explained that he personally would want to date someone whose height is similar to Sistar's Hyorin. The "Running Man" cast member went on to indicate that he does not consider a lady with a tall stature as a "woman."

Given the Turbo alum's comments, several "Running Man" viewers expressed their disappointment over Kim Jong Kook's statements. Describing the comment as sexist and discriminatory, netizens slammed the singer for his insensitive remarks, All Kpop reported.

However, several netizens also conveyed support for the "Running Man" cast member. Defending the musician online, supporters explained how the singer only shared his personal preference and ideal type without any intention to degrade tall women. Some netizens even highlighted that it must be difficult for celebrities such as Kim Jong Kook at having to deal with "trivial" matters such as a misconstrued statement.

In other news, Kim Jong Kook's fellow "Running Man" cast members Song Ji Hyo, Haha and Yang Se Chan were sent on a foodie mission in Taiwan in the same episode. Part of the show's global challenge, the said three cast members were tasked to consume some of Taiwan's famous local delicacies such as stinky tofu and duck blood.

Song Ji Hyo impressed her teammates when she took a bite of the duck blood dish and even slurped some of the stinky tofu soup, Soompi reported. However, the "Running Man" ace balked after eating a piece of the stinky tofu given its pungent smell.

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HIGH HOPES: Russian woman who’s 6ft 9in with 52.4in legs aiming to be crowned ‘world’s tallest model’… and she wears size 12 shoes

Ekaterina Lisina, 29, is popular with men who are attracted to taller women and those with larger feet

By Lauren Windle 29th June 2017, 12:45 pmUpdated: 29th June 2017, 2:58 pm

FORMER professional basketball player Ekaterina Lisina has a new target in her sights – being named the world’s tallest model.

Standing at 6ft 9in in her bare feet, Ekaterina, from Russia, has already been officially named the tallest woman in Russia.

After she retired from basketball, the leggy beauty launched a career in modelling and believes she is now the world’s tallest model.

Ekaterina said: “The record is held at the moment by Amazon Eve and she is 6ft 8in, which is smaller than me.

“I really want to be in the book of world records as the world’s tallest model. I also think I have a chance to be awarded the world’s longest legs. My legs are around 52.4 inches, which is longer than the current record holder”.

The 29-year-old’s striking height has drawn her fans from all over the world – many of them men with a particular interest in taller “Amazonian” women or women with big feet.

Ekaterina doesn’t just count her lengthy legs among her achievements but she has also been officially recognised as having the biggest feet of any woman in Russia with a European size 47, or a UK size 12.

She said: “I do like the attention and I hope after I get the title I am going to get even more attention!”

“I think my long legs can definitely help my modelling career because there aren’t so many models with such long legs.”

Ekaterina’s 52.4 inch pins also propelled her to great success as a professional basketball player.

At the age of 16, Ekaterina had to choose between pursuing her dreams of becoming a model and playing basketball. Already on the path to success with basketball, she chose the sport, putting her catwalk dreams on hold.

She explained: “I wanted to be a model since I was 16-years-old but at that time I started my professional basketball career.

“Basically I had to choose between modelling and basketball and of course there was no question because with basketball I had talent.”

As part of her successful career Ekaterina represented the Russia women’s team at the 2008 Olympics, where together they won Olympic bronze.

Given that Ekaterina’s parents were tall – her father is 6ft 5in and her mother 6ft 1in – Ekaterina was always expected to reach great heights.

Her father Viktor Lisin reveals that they noticed from birth that their daughter was a lot taller than average.

He said: “When we were picking her up from the hospital we noticed right away that her legs were really long and her body mainly consisted of them.”

Ekaterina’s older brother Sergei Lisina, who himself measures 6ft 6in (2 metres), recalls his not-so-little sister being picked on by other kids at school.

He said: “I remember she was bullied a few times at school because she was the tallest and I had to show up there a couple of times.

“She realised quite quickly that it gives her a huge advantage in a specific type of sport which she started doing professionally almost straight away.

“So I don’t think it was too uncomfortable for her. Also, because all of our family members are tall, not many of us felt uncomfortable about this fact.

“On the contrary, I think being tall is awesome, no doubts about that. If I had an option of adding on about four or five centimetres to my height I’d certainly agree to do that.”

But growing up, Ekaterina did find shopping for clothes a struggle.

She said: “It was very difficult for me to buy clothes and I knew I was different.

“I only really realised I was attractive when I was about 24 years old. I always had an athletic body and was always much taller than everyone else my age.

“But then I realised that being tall is very attractive and that I got a lots of attention from men. I am so comfortable with my body now.”

The single mother of one says that carrying her son, who’s now six-years-old, made her love and appreciate her body like never before.

She said: “I think during pregnancy I developed curves and I started to feel so great about it.

“Before that, I always felt like I had a teenager’s body but now I feel so feminine and confident.

“I feel really comfortable in my body right now and I don’t have any problems being taller than everyone else. I love it.”

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Sandy Allen's Eulogy (by Rita Rose)

Family, friends and even strangers are gathered here today, not to mourn the death of Sandy Allen, but to celebrate her extraordinary life.

While Sandy was known to most people by her size, those who were touched by her life, even briefly, know that her character and her compassion were much bigger than any measurement found in the Guinness Book of Records.

Because she was often self-effacing, Sandy never thought she had the ability to affect people's lives or leave a positive impact on the world. Well, she was wrong. People from all over the world are expressing their admiration for the shy young woman from Shelbyville who was thrust overnight into an international spotlight, and who learned how to make her inner light shine in public.

Sandy once said, "Getting in the Guinness Book of Records really changed my life. It has given me the opportunity to travel all over the world, see places I would only have dreamed of....and it sort of brought me out of my shell."

As one person commented on the Internet, "I'm sure Sandy is now the world's tallest angel in heaven." Another said, "The world is a better place because that woman lived, as her influence and work brought so much light. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all say that about our lives at the end?

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels said that he "admired very much the way she handled a uniquely difficult situation with uncomplaining grace."

If only Sandy could hear all of these accolades - but then, she'd just wonder who all these people were talking about.

It was that humble attitude that endeared her to so many. That, and the way she reached out to people, especially children, to show them how important it was to accept everyone's differences. She knew how to make everyone feel special.

Most people will remember Sandy for her great sense of humor and the way she could poke fun at her height before anyone else had a chance to. Sometimes she did it by wearing funny T-shirts that said "I like short people, I had three for lunch" or "Life's short, I'm not." Perhaps her sense of humor was a way of coping with difficult situations, but I believe her witty one-liners came naturally. One time, when I first met Sandy, we were going to Los Angeles so she could be on the Merv Griffin Show. We were making a last-minute stop in the restroom at the airport, and for those of you who are old enough to remember, there were pay toilets. I was digging around in my purse for a dime and Sandy asked me what I was doing. I said I was getting the money for the pay toilet. Without a word, she walked over to the stall, reached over the top and unlatched it from the inside. "Save your money," she said. Another time Sandy got some laughs was when the Randy Newman song, "Short People", was popular and a local DJ was having a short people's party at a local bar. You had to be 5-foot-4 or less to get in. Sandy decided we need to crash this party, and everyone went wild when she ducked through the doorway. Needless to say, she was a BIG hit.

When Shelbyville residents Julie and Dennis Wilhoit got married and Sandy attended the wedding, she was admiring the beadwork on Julie's gown. She said that she would never have the experience of wearing a wedding dress or walking down the aisle. Julie told her not to worry, that someday her prince would come. Sandy said, "Well, if he does, he'd better be 8 feet tall and riding a damn elephant!"

But beyond being the world's tallest woman, what defined Sandy Allen?

She loved puzzle books, Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Harry Potter. She loved to sing "Elvira" at karaoke and beating everyone at backgammon. She loved jewelry, especially dangly earrings, and nice clothes. She loved going to Pacers games and waving at the players. She loved chocolate éclairs and brownies from Linne's Bakery. Her favorite drinks were Pepsi and Long Island iced tea. She loved to ride her motorized wheelchair down Miller Street to Kendall's Bar, at least when nobody tried to stop her. She loved wrestling matches and even beat one wrestler she didn't like over the head with a shoe. She loved talking to children and making them feel good about themselves. She loved Kenny Rogers. She loved God.

Shelbyville's most famous citizen had a kind heart and a good outlook on life despite the difficulties she encountered. She also could be stubborn, short-tempered and down on herself for making mistakes. She didn't like to watch herself on TV, but she enjoyed filming documentaries and other shows as long as she could go shopping afterwards. She was a giver and loved to find just the right present for someone.

Her brother Mike will remember Sandy as his protector. "She cared for me, and I know how lucky I am to have had her in my life." He said that, "Through the hard times and the good times one thing never did change and that was our love for each other."

When her sister Darlene was going through health problems, she leaned on Sandy, who was a great comfort to her. Even though she lived far away, she always knew Sandy's thoughts were with her through the tough times. She said she was lucky to have Sandy as her sister.

Linda Fox, Sandy's tough-love caretaker, said that Sandy kept her retirement from being dull, and that she brightened her life and kept her active.

Sandy's friend John Kleiman said that "Sandy taught me to be patient, to persevere, and gave me hope that there would always be better days."

Sandy also had a great love for animals and always had cats and dogs in her house. Now, she'll be able to once more enjoy Shelby, Barney, Teddy Bear, Becky Jane, Jitsu and all of the other critters who came into her life. Most of all, Sandy is once again with her beloved grandmother, Emma Warfield, whose unconditional love helped Sandy get through the hard times growing up. Emma, instilled in her the values of hard work and being proud of who she was, among other lessons that Sandy never forgot. Sandy Allen was a gentle giant who was beloved around the world. She had a caring spirit, and that spirit will remain in all of us as long as we keep Sandy in our hearts.

Rita Rose 8/18/08