With no less than 633 pounds to his name, Konishiki Yasokichi is not a person you want to bump into in a dark alley. But don’t let his size or his sumo wrestler training fool you because he seems like a pretty chill dude.
Yasokichi was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and he was the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to win three division championships and reach the second-highest rank in sumo, Ozeki. Sadly, Konishiki “Meat Bomb” Yasokichi got close but never earned the highest rank in Sumo, the Yokozuna, meaning grand champion. These days, he has a music career and raps in English and Japanese.
Hafthor Julius “Thor” Bjornsson – 6’9″, 400 lb
You probably recognize this larger-than-life athlete - Hafthor Julius Bjornsson, born in Reykjavik, Iceland. In the past few years he has been busy starring in HBO’s hit show “Game of Thrones” as Gregor Clegane, or "The Mountain". Before he became a big-time actor, Bjornsson was a main contender in the World Strongest Man competition.
With a height of 6ft 9 in and weighing in at 400lbs, it’s no wonder that he was in the top three for six years running. He is also the first man in the world to win the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe's Strongest Man, and World's Strongest Man in the same year.
Peter Crouch – 6’7″
Soccer players are not usually known for their height but for their ability to run fast, react quickly, and exert perfect control over their feet. It is almost unheard of for a professional soccer player to be over 6 feet. That makes our next athlete even more extraordinary.
With a five-year stint in the England national Team, Peter Crouch has certainly put his leg span to good use. Other achievements under his belt include two appearances at the World Cup and breaking a Premier League record for the most headed goals!
Chuck Nevitt – 7’5″
In a sport dominated by tall people, Chuck Nevitt is still one of the tallest players in the history of the NBA, with a height of 7ft 5in!
While he never reached superstar status or became a household name, Nevitt had an unusually long and stable career and played in the league for 12 seasons. During this time, he played for the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons.
Margo Dydek – 7’2″
Polish-born Margo “Large Marge” Dydek was the tallest woman in the history of the WNBA. She started her career in Europe and played for Polish, French, and Spanish teams before being recruited by the Utah Starzz. In the US, she also played for the Connecticut Sun and the Los Angeles Sparks.
Dydek was known not just for her height but also for her work ethic, spending endless hours on the court improving her skills. After her retirement, she moved to Australia, where she coached the Northside Wizards in the Queensland Basketball League. Sadly, she passed away in 2011 from complications following a heart attack. She was pregnant with her third child at the time of her death.