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Guinness Crowns World's Tallest Man

Turk is 8-feet, one-inch tall and looking for love

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 | Updated 9:15 AM EST

Sultan Kosen is 8-feet, 1-inch tall and wants a girlfriend. If you're interested, go to Turkey and look him up.

A Turk who stands 8-feet, one-inch tall has been crowned the tallest man in the world, and he's hoping it will help him land a girlfriend.

Guinness Book of World Records said Sultan Kosen, 27, holds the distinction after his compeition, Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk, who is reportedly four-and-a-half inches taller, refused to be measured. Kosen has high hopes for his new title.

"Up until now it's been really difficult to find a girlfriend," Kosen said through an interpreter. "I've never had one, they were usually scared of me. ... Hopefully now that I'm famous I'll be able to meet lots of girls. I'd like to get married."

Kosen is one of just 10 confirmed cases of people growing beyond the eight-foot mark, according to Guinness. His growth is attributed to a tumor that pressed against his pituitary gland and caused overproduction of growth hormone. The tumor was removed last year and he should be done growing, according to doctors.

Get more: MSNBC