Former World's Shortest Man Regains His Title

It’s déjà vu for a Colombian man who has just been declared the world’s shortest man.

Guinness World Records announced on Tuesday that it has found Edward Niño Hernández to be the shortest living man who is mobile.

But this isn’t the first world record rodeo for the 2-foot-4.3938-inch resident of Bogota, who turned 34 on Sunday. Hernández was previously awarded the shortest living man (mobile) title  in April 2010, when he measured in at 2 feet, 3.64 inches tall. 

Later that year, Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal, who stood 2 feet, 2.41 inches tall became the new record holder. He later lost the title to a fellow Nepal citizen: 1-foot-9.5-inch Chandra Bahadur Dangi.

Both of those men have since died so the title is now passed once again to Hernández.

Meanwhile, 1-foot-11.6-inch Junrey Balawing of the Philippines remains the shortest non-mobile man.

Hernández received his second “shortest man” certificate at a medical clinic in his home city before social distancing guidelines were implemented, according to a Guinness World Records release.

Although his short stature made him a world record holder, he said his big smile was his real secret weapon.

“I use my smile to conquer the world! I always share my big smile with everyone; that’s my charm. I can achieve everything I propose to myself,” Hernández said in the release. “Everything is possible. … Size and height don’t matter! I want people to meet who I truly am: small in size, big in heart!”