Latest Guinness World Records to feature world’s heaviest sportswoman, and bodybuilder with arms larger than an average person’s head

GUINNESS World Records has launched the latest edition of its best-selling book documenting global achievement, including new entries for the shortest bull, the oldest gymnast and the lowest ever car.

• Latest Guinness World Records to feature extremes of human physicality, including world’s heaviest sportswoman and bodybuilder with largest ‘guns’

• 57th edition of book, which is expected to sell 2.7 million copies, also includes world’s shortest bull and a 44” tall dog

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The 57th version of best-selling reference book also features new verified entries for the world’s heaviest sportswoman and the most conquests of Mount Everest, as well as the tallest ever dog.

Being published in 22 languages in more than 100 countries, the 2013 Guinness World Records is expected to sell around 2.7 million copies and documents numerous new extremes relating to the human body.

These include 86-year-old Johanna Quaas, a retired PE teacher from Leipzig, Germany, who is named the oldest gymnast; Egyptian-born Moustafa Ismail, recognised for having the largest “guns” - biceps and triceps - with a circumference of 25.5in; and London-based sumo wrestler Sharran Alexander, who weighs 203.21 kg (32 stone), who was named the world’s heaviest sportswoman.

Bodybuilder Mr Ismail, now living in Franklin, Massachusetts, has arms with a greater circumference than the average human head.

The 24-year-old, originally from Alexandria, Egypt, hopes his record-breaking status will be a springboard to become a professional body-builder.

Among the new edition’s animal-based records are new bests for the shortest bull and the tallest dog, a Great Dane measuring 44” from foot to withers.

Archie, a 29-month-old Dexter breed bull owned by a County Armagh-based farm, measures just 76.2 cm (30in) from hoof to withers.

Farmer’s son Ryan Lavery, 15, bought Archie at five months old and admits that the bull’s fate would have been different if he had been of a normal stature.

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Ryan said: “When we bought Archie, he was destined for beef.

“However, by Christmas time, he still hadn’t grown and because we had become so fond of him we decided to keep him.

“His size saved his life and now he’s going to live out the rest of his life as a pet. It’s brilliant and amazing to have Archie in the new Guinness Worlds book.”

Other records in the 57th edition of the book include the lowest roadworthy car - a vehicle created by students and teachers in Asakuchi, Japan, which measures 45.2cm (17.79in) from the ground to its highest part.

The City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, also enters the new edition, with a record enrolment of 39,437 pupils for the 2010-2011 academic year.

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