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It's official: Filipino is named world's shortest man

He's just turned 18 years old — and standing tall at just 23.5 inches

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Image: Junrey Balawing
Bullit Marquez  /  AP
Junrey Balawing poses after a series of measurements at Sindangan Health Center, Sindangan township, Zamboanga Del Norte province, in the southern Philippines on Saturday.
By
updated 6/11/2011 11:46:33 PM ET 2011-06-12T03:46:33

SINDANGAN, Philippines — A Guinness World Records representative has declared the son of a poor Filipino locksmith who measured 23.5 inches tall as the world's shortest man.

Guinness official Craig Glenday says Junrey Balawing, who turned 18 on Sunday, broke the record of Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal, who is 26.4 inches tall.

The announcement drew a loud applause from Balawing's parents and townmates in Zamboanga del Norte's remote Sindangan township in the southern Philippines, who showered the new celebrity with a feast, a cake, balloons and cash gifts.

Slideshow: Guinness World Records 2011 (on this page)

Balawing thanked the crowd and posed for pictures.

Lolit Homay, municipal health officer in Zamboanga del Norte province's Sindangan township, said Balawing was measured on Saturday at about 24 inches from head to foot lying down and slightly above 23 inches standing up.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Photos: Guinness World Records 2011

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  1. World's shortest living man

    Junrey Balawing smiles as he is presented with a Guinness World Records certificate for being the world's shortest living man following the last of a series of measurement conducted in Southern Philippines, Sunday June 12, 2011, his 18th birthday and coincidentally the Philippines' Independence Day. Balawing was officially measured at at 59.93 centimeters, or 23.5 inches. (Bullit Marquez / AP) Back to slideshow navigation
    Junrey Balawing
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  2. Greatest number of Twitter followers

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  3. Biggest human smiley

    People stand together as they create the biggest human smiley in the world on the main square in Zagreb, Croatia on May 6, 2011. As many as 768 Croats managed to create the happy configuration, achieving a Guinness World Record in the process. The previous record involved 551 participants and was reached in the Latvian capital of Riga. (Nikola Solic / Reuters) Back to slideshow navigation

  4. Loudest purr by a domestic cat

    The loudest purr by a domestic cat -- 67.7 decibels -- was achieved on March 25, 2011 by Smokey, a furry feline owned by Lucinda Ruth Adams in Northampton, United Kingdom. Smokey's purr is as loud as busy traffic, a hair dryer or a vacuum cleaner. (Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  5. Longest cigar

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  6. Fastest motorcycle hearse

    The Rev. Ray Biddiss says a prayer after setting a Guinness World Record for the world's fastest motorcycle hearse at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire, England on May 10, 2011. Biddiss, 57, set a record of 114 mph in his specially built "trike-hearse." To be recognized by Guinness World Records, he had to reach a speed of more than 80 mph. (John Giles / Pa / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  7. Longest career as an entertainment news host

    Guinness World Records officially recognized television personality Mary Hart with the “Longest Career as an Entertainment News Host” for her tenure of 29 years as the host of CBS Television Distribution’s "Entertainment Tonight." The record accomplishment came shortly after her announcement that her final episode would air on May 20, 2011. (Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  8. Largest gathering of people wearing costume masks

    Fans wear wrestling masks during the fifth inning of the baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, Calif., on May 10, 2011. The display broke the Guinness World Record for "largest gathering of people wearing costume masks." (Lucy Nicholson / Reuters) Back to slideshow navigation

  9. Widest mouth

    The widest mouth measures 6.69 inches! It belongs to Francisco Domingo Joaquim “Chiquinho” and was measured on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy. (Paul Michael Hughes / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  10. Youngest perfect Dance Dance Revolution gamer

    The youngest person to reach a perfect "AAA" rating on a Dance Dance Revolution game on the expert difficulty setting is Ryota Wada of Japan. At the age of 9, he mastered the song "Hyper Eurobea" at his home in Tokyo. (Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  11. Highest Guitar Hero 3 score by a female

    Annie Leung holds the record for the highest score by a female gamer on Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock: 789,349 points playing "Through the Fire and Flames" on the expert setting. (Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  12. Largest Super Mario collection

    Mitsugu Kikai of Japan owns the largest collection of Super Mario memorabilia, comprising 5,400 individual items. (Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  13. Most perfect Wii bowling games

    John Bates, 85, made it into Guinness World Records for the most perfect games of Wii Sports Bowling: 850 perfect games from April 2009 through October 2010. (Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  14. World’s largest shoe

    This bad boy is 18.04 feet long, 6.92 feet wide and 9.51 feet high, and it’s an exact replica of a Converse Chuck Taylor All Star. What size would it be? UK size 845. Designers used a Converse Chuck Taylor All Star European size 39 as a model. The Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp unveiled the massive shoe on Nov. 17 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  15. Most dogs in costumed attire gathered in a single location

    In an impressive display of good dog behavior, a total of 426 pooches attained a Guinness World Record for “most dogs in costumed attire gathered in a single location.” The stylin’ canines congregated on Nov. 13 at the Suncoast Animal League’s annual Dogtoberfest event in Dunedin, Fla. (Matt May / Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  16. Largest melodica ensemble

    A total of 158 elementary-school-aged children from Hikone, Shiga, Japan earned a Guinness World Record for the largest melodica ensemble attempt on Nov. 18. The record they had to beat was 126. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  17. Oldest wing walker

    The world’s oldest wing walker is Thomas Lackey of the United Kingdom. He completed a wing walk across Cirencester, Gloucestershire at the age of 90 years and 5 months. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  18. Flame blowing records

    Preacher Muaddib of Ireland achieved three records: the “most consecutive fire flames blown by mouth” with 16 flames; the “most fire flames blown by mouth” with 69 flames; and the “most fire torches lit and extinguished in one minute.” (Tim Anderson / Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  19. Highest kicks by a single chorus line

    The Moulin Rouge can-can dancers in Paris, France broke the record by having 30 dancers perform 24 high kicks in a single minute. (Miguel Medina / Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  20. Largest pop group

    All-female Japanese pop group AKB48 feature a total of 48 members (split into three groups -- Team A, Team K and Team B -- of 16 members each). The “AKB” is short for their home district in Tokyo, Akihabara. They released their first single, “Sakura No Hanabiratachi,” in 2006. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  21. Largest industrial screw mosaic

    Albanian artist Saimir Strait already holds four Guinness World records so far (for Largest Nail Mosaic, Largest Toothpick Mosaic, Largest Corks Mosaic and Largest Paintbrush Mosaic). Here we see him posing with his fifth attempt, a massive banknote he calls the “Currency of the Soul.” The work will measure 490 cm. by 240 cm. (192.9 in. by 94.4 in.) , contains 300,000 industrial screws and featured a portrait of the ancient Greek poet Homer. (Armando Babani / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  22. World’s largest painting

    Created by 350 volunteers of the Ecole de Dessin in Lagos, Nigeria, this huge painting measures 33,696.959 square feet. (Guinness World Records/ho / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  23. Largest maple leaf

    Nine-year-old Joseph Donato poses with the largest maple leaf, 34.61 cm wide and 29.21 cm long (13.63 in. by 11.5 in.), discovered in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, in October 2010. The leaf was presented on Canada's Breakfast TV in celebration of Giunness World Records Day 2010. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  24. Largest Macarena dance

    The largest Macarena dance attempt record goes to Ancaster High School and local participating schools in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, where 1,861 participants did the moves simultaneously for over five minutes on Nov. 12, 2010. (Angela Y. Martin / Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  25. World's heaviest shoes

    Ashrita Furman of the United States managed to walk 32.81 feet (10 meters) wearing these mondo shoes that weigh a total of 323 pounds. He pulled off this feat (get it?) on Nov. 18 in London. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  26. Most concrete blocks broken while holding a raw egg

    Joe Alexander, of Germany, breaks 24 concrete blocks, assembled in three stacks of 8 while holding a raw egg in the hand of the arm used for breaking the blocks. After the third stack had been broken the egg was still unbroken. The record to beat was 14 and the final result was 24. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  27. Biggest bottle cap scultpure

    Alistair Galpin poses with the largest bottle cap sculpture, made of 19,205 caps, in Auckland, New Zealand. The caps were used to create a sculpture in the shape of rugby ball. It took 18 months to complete and was finished to unveil on Guinness World Records Day. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  28. Most arrows caught by hand

    Joe Alexander catches 43 arrows from the air, shot by German archers Peter Dubberstein and Robin Puls in Germany. Alexander caught 43, and the record to beat was 36. (Guinness World Records via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
  29. Related story Wake up and smell the world's largest coffee: 2,010 gallons

    Largest cup of coffee

    Standing tall at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, the largest cup of coffee holds about 2,010 gallons of joe. That's equivalent to about 32,160 cups. Black Colombian coffee was used for the successful record attempt. (Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  30. Oldest twins in the world

    Sisters Ena Pugh, right, and Lily Millward have been confirmed as the oldest twins in the world at 100 years and 10 months. Both live in the United Kingdom. (Wales News Service) Back to slideshow navigation
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  31. Largest collection of navel fluff

    In terms of rare collections, this one gets top marks. An Australian man has made a habit of collecting his naval lint, earning him a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records. The Australian librarian started “harvesting” his fluff in 1984, at a youth hostel in Brisbane. After 26 years, the complete collection now weighs 22.1 grams, or .77 ounces. (Solent News & Photo Agency) Back to slideshow navigation
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  32. Image: Chris Stevens with massive pumpkin
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    Largest pumpkin

    Talk about a great gourd: Guinness World Records has confirmed that a massive pumpkin grown in Wisconsin is officially the world's heaviest. It weighs 1,810.5 pounds and was grown by Chris Stevens in Wisconsin. (Stan Honda / AFP - Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
  33. Related story Giant toast mosaic is birthday gift

    Largest toast mosaic

    Toast loving Laura Hadland turned a photo of her mother in law into the world's largest toast mosaic - using a staggering 9,852 slices of bread from 600 loaves. The 27-year-old roped in 40 friends and used a battery of nine toasters as they browned the bread to varying degrees before arranging it to make the about 32-by-42 feet picture of her mother in law's face. (Solent News & Photos) Back to slideshow navigation

  34. Largest enchilada

    Chefs prepare the world's largest enchilada, a traditional Mexican food, during the National Enchilada Fair at the neighborhood of Iztapalapa in Mexico City on Oct. 17, 2010. It measured about 230 feet long and weighed over 1.5 tons. (Marco Ugarte / AP) Back to slideshow navigation
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  35. Most Mickey Mouse items

    Janet Esteves (USA) has amassed a collection of 2,760 different Mickey Mouse items since 1960, as of Dec. 11, 2008. (Paul Michael Hughes / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  36. Largest modeling balloon sculpture

    John Cassidy created the largest modeling balloon sculpture. (Richard Bradbury / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  37. Longest nose

    The longest nose on a living person measures 8.8 cm (3.46 in) long from the bridge to the tip and belongs to Mehmet Ozyurek (Turkey). It was measured on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy, on March 18, 2010 (Paul Michael Hughes / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  38. Shortest man

    Khagendra Thapa Magar entered the record books as the world's shortest man, standing at just 25.8 inches as he celebrated his 18th birthday. Magar is from Nepal and the son of a fruit seller. He weighs about 12 pounds. (Prakash Mathema / AFP - Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  39. Longest tongue on a dog

    The longest tongue on a dog measures 11.43 cm (4.5 in) and belongs to Puggy, a male Pekingese owned by Becky Stanford (both United States). The measurement was taken at Avondale Haslet Animal Clinic, Texas, on May 8, 2009, when Puggy was 9 years old. (Paul Michael Hughes / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  40. Most spoons balanced on a face

    The highest number is 17 and was achieved by Aaron Caissie (Canada) on the set of Lo Show Dei Record, in Milan, Italy, on April 18, 2009. (John Wright / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  41. Most straws stuffed in a mouth

    The most straws stuffed in a mouth is 400, achieved by Simon Elmore (Germany), who held them there for 10 seconds at the Mark 'n' Simon Show, Sollhuben, Bavaria, Germany, on Aug. 6, 2009 (John Wright / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  42. Largest collection of Smurfs

    Stephen Parkes (UK) began collecting Smurfs as a child, when they were sold by a chain of garages across the UK, and has never stopped. As of Jan. 28, 2010, his collection totals 1,061 and includes Christmas Smurfs, Easter Smurfs and Smurfs dressed as historical figures. (Ranald Mackechnie / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  43. Shortest cow

    The shortest cow is 85 cm (33.5 inches) from rear foot to hind and was achieved by Swallow, a Dexter cow owned by Martyn and Caroline Ryder (both UK), measured at Pike End Farm, Rishworth, United Kingdom, on Sept. 14, 2009. (Ranald Mackechnie / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
    Image:
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  44. Heaviest limousine

    The heaviest limousine is "Midnight Rider" weighing 22,933 kg (50,560 lb). It is 21.3 meters (70 feet) long and 4.1 meters (13 feet 8 inches) high. It was designed by Michael Machado and Pamela Bartholemew (both USA) in California and began operating on Sept. 3, 2004. (Paul Michael Hughes / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation

  45. Most bottles recycled by a dog

    A Labrador called Tubby, owned by Sandra Gilmore of Pontnewydd, Torfaen, UK, has helped recycle an estimated 26,000 plastic bottles over the past six years by collecting them on his daily walks, crushing them and passing them to his owner. (Paul Michael Hughes / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  46. Longest hair

    The world's longest documented hair belongs to Xie Qiuping (China) at 5.627 meters (18 feet 5.54 inches) when measured on May 8, 2004. She has been growing her hair since 1973 from the age of 13. (John Wright / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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  47. Heaviest shoes walked in

    The heaviest shoes walked in weighed 122.8 kilograms (270.73 pounds) and were used by Zhang Zhenghui (China) on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy, on March 18, 2010. (Paul Michael Hughes / Guinness World Records) Back to slideshow navigation
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