10 photos of phenomenally tall women whose size still amazes today (13 photos)

They have managed to achieve so much in their lives despite the challenges associated with their physical characteristics. Let's get to know them better and find out what makes these women stand out from the crowd.





Yao Defen







A Chinese woman listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest woman in the world. She is 233 cm tall. Since childhood, Yao began growing unusually fast, which is associated with a pituitary tumor. Her parents noticed that from the age of three, she was eating three times more than her peers. At 11, she grew to 188 cm, and at 15, to 202 cm.

Sandy Allen



Sandy Allen: Born in 1955 in Chicago, Sandy Allen was one of the tallest women in the world for 16 years. She stood 232 cm tall. She had a pituitary tumor, which caused increased growth hormone levels in her body. Despite her physical difficulties, Sandy achieved success and appeared in several films. For this reason or another, she never had a serious relationship, despite her breakthrough in Hollywood. She spent the last years of her life bedridden.

Małgorzata "Margot" Dydek



Born in Warsaw, Małgorzata Dydek became the tallest female basketball player to ever live. Her height, according to various sources, ranged from 213 to 218 cm. In 1998, she was selected first overall by the Utah Stars of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She became the first Polish woman to represent the NBA and also competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Zainab Bibi



Pakistani woman Zainab Bibi is 218 cm tall. Because of her unusual height, she faced harassment and bullying in her hometown (stones were thrown, clothes were torn), so she sought asylum in the UK. She was successfully granted temporary residence permit and now lives in Manchester. It took her about two years to gather all the necessary documents.

Ulyana Semenova





Born in 1952 in Lithuania, Ulyana Semenova was one of the tallest women in the former Soviet Union at 218 cm. She rose to fame thanks to her basketball career and was recognized as the best center of the 20th century. Ulyana played for the Lithuanian national team and received numerous awards and recognition. She was the first non-American inductee into the James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, followed by a similar hall in Tennessee, and in 2007, into the International Basketball Federation Hall of Fame in Spain.

Geethika Srivastava



This young Indian woman stands at an impressive height of 211 cm. Thanks to her father, basketball player Pradeep Srivastava, who stands at 223 cm, Geetika inherited her height and became a member of the Indian women's national basketball team.

Mali Duangdi



Mali Duangdi of eastern Thailand gained recognition in 2009 when she was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest teenage girl. At the time, Mali surpassed the famous Brazilian teenager Elisany Silva, who stood at 206 cm. Mali currently stands at 210 cm. She suffers from gigantism caused by a pituitary tumor. Despite two unsuccessful surgeries to remove the tumor, her condition continues to affect her appearance and vision, which is deteriorating daily.

Caroline Welz



Caroline Welz is the tallest woman in Germany. She stands an impressive 206 cm tall and wears a shoe size of 49. Currently 30, Caroline works as a tailor and participates in fashion photo shoots in her spare time. She is also active on social media, where she posts photos of herself standing next to doors or other tall people, highlighting her unique height.

Rita Miniva Besa



Rita Miniva Besa was born in Zimbabwe, but her family now resides in Las Vegas, USA. She stands 203 cm tall, which earned her a spot on the US women's basketball team.

Ekaterina Gamova



Ekaterina Gamova from Chelyabinsk is a tall and athletic woman, standing 202 cm tall. Her aunt was her first coach. She is renowned for her achievements in volleyball and has earned recognition as a Turkish, European, and World Champion. She is also a Grand Prix and World Champions Cup winner. In 2012, Ekaterina married Mikhail Mukasey, the son of director Svetlana Druzhinina, which became an important event in her life.