Junrey Balawing, a 17 year old teen-ager from the remote town of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte who stands at 1 foot and 10 inches was revealed by Guinness as the latest challenger for the World’s Shortest Man.
His father Reynaldo, 37, a blacksmith and her mother Concepcion, 35, took care of him ever since he was born. The boy find it difficult to walk so his father needs to carry him by setting him on his shoulder when they wander towards the town.
Junrey cannot stand for long so he always needs someone to look for him, his mother Concepcion decided to just stay at home and took care for Junrey instead of going to work. He has three other siblings who lived a normal life. His younger but taller siblings Jaycel, 13, Jay-art, 11 and Jeanritch, six, go to school, while he stays at home.
Junrey Balawing’s record will be confirmed by Guinness when he turns 18 on June, 2011. He will have to undergo three sets of official measurement with the presence of Guinness adjudicator. It will be certified by Guinness and published it on Guinness Book of World Records.
The current official record holder for the world’s shortest man was an 18 years old Nepalese, Khagendra Thapa Magar, who measures 2 feet and 2.41 inches.
Upon the announcement by Guinness on Wednesday regarding the chances of Junrey, he was quoted as saying “If I were the smallest man in the world, it would be very cool,” he said while beaming with pride.
