Being tall is an advantage in many sports, but in Volleyball, it can be a real game-changer. At 7ft 2 in, Russian volleyball player Aleksey Kazakov used his immense frame and natural talent to become a star. At the height of his professional career, Kazakov towered above the rest and spiked his way into the Olympic team.
He won the bronze medal in the 2000 Olympics and moved up to Silver in 2004. He also shined at the 2001 European Championships in Ostrava, where he received the bronze medal, making Russia proud.
Richard Metcalfe – 7ft
At an imposing 7 feet, rugby player Richard Metcalfe is an average of six inches taller than his competition and was the tallest player in international rugby. His enormous height and intimidating style of play kept the other players on the pitch on their toes.
The Scottish native achieved superstar status, won 13 Scotland caps, and played for prestigious clubs, including the Newcastle Falcons and the Northampton Saints. Unfortunately, Metcalfe’s burgeoning career was cut short due to a knee injury.
Aaron Sandilands – 6’11”
Australian football player Aaron Sandilands is a mountain of man at almost 7 feet. At one time, he was the AFL’s (Australian Football League) tallest and heaviest player, and it’s not hard to imagine what kind of damage a tackle from this guy could inflict.
But Sandilands has more than just his size going for him, with an illustrious athletic career of over 250 games. He has won four All-Australian awards, two Best Clubmen awards, and two Doig Medals as the Fremantle Football Club’s best and fairest player. He is still going strong and is the club’s first player over the age of 35.
Mohammad Irfan – 7’1″
Mohammad Irfan is the only cricket player featured on our list. At 7ft 1in, he is the tallest cricket player in the world. He has been a star on the Pakistani National Team since he joined almost a decade ago. Before he became a cricket player, Irfan worked in a pipe factory, earning roughly $3 a week. After he was discovered, Irfan quickly rose in the ranks and became known as a well-paced left-arm fast bowler, and in 2013, he helped the Pakistani team claim victory over South Africa.
In 2017, Irfan was suspended from the sport for six months due to a corruption scandal, but Ifran’s cricket career is still on track. In 2018, he played both in the Caribbean Premier League and the Bangladesh Premier League.
Nikolai Valuev – 7ft
Even by heavyweight boxing standards, Nikolai Valuev is a giant. During the height of his career, the former professional boxer was almost impossible to beat. Valuev’s professional career lasted from 1993 to 2009, during which the “Russian Giant” won 50 of his 53 fights and became the biggest and heaviest boxing world champion.
He held on to the championship title for four years and retired due to medical reasons. But Valuev isn’t resting on his laurels, he has written a book, starred in movies and has a second career as a politician. He also founded the Valuev Boxing School.