The Largest Athletes Of All Time
The world of professional sport is the stage for the best of the best. In every sport, if you want to be the very best, you normally need to be blessed with the skills and determination in order to get to the very top. Your actions need to speak louder than your words and it has been proven time and time again, that size doesn’t matter. However, in practically every type of sport, there are athletes who stand out for how tall they might be or how much they weigh. Join us as we explore some of the biggest athletes from a variety of sports, both old and new.
Shaquille O’Neal – 7’1″
Not only is “The Shaq Attack” one of the most iconic players in NBA history, you can tell that he didn’t need a personal trainer to get so tall!
At 7ft 1in, there were few who could reach the dizzy heights that O’Neal could.
Andre The Giant – 7’4″, 520 lb
The late, great, Andre the Giant was considered by most to be one of the greatest wrestlers ever to step foot in the ring. At his peak, the man billed from “Grenoble in the French Alps” stood at 7ft 4in and weighed a staggering 520lbs.
There was no need for any protein shakes, Andre was simply born this way! Even heavyweights such as Hulk Hogan and King Kong Bundy rarely stood a chance against Andre. The wrestler’s gigantism was a result of an excess growth hormone, and he died in 1993 from congestive heart failure.
Maria Sharapova – 6’2″
People often forget that Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is actually one of the tallest female tennis players in the game. Born in Russia, she moved to the U.S. in the early 90s and since 2001, worked hard at her local gym and fitness center and has been a consistent fixture in the WTA tour.
Her career can be summed up as somewhat of a paradox. Although her time on the court has been marred by numerous injuries, she has made multiple comebacks and is still playing professionally to this day.
Peter Crouch – 6’7″
One of the tallest players in the world of soccer is the center forward Peter Crouch. In a career that spans nearly two decades, “Crouchy,” as his teammates call him, has played for many clubs, including Southampton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, and Tottenham Hotspur, to name a few.
He has been at his current club Stoke City since 2011 and at the old soccer age of 36, still remains a crucial player for them. The 6’7 skeleton-like figure defies the expectations that all athletes should be toned and muscular. No personal trainer required for Crouchy.