New "World's Shortest Man"

                                        Junrey Balawing

New 'World's Shortest Man' Celebrates Birthday, World Record.

On Junrey Balawing's 18th birthday party, he received more than the usual set of gifts: he got a Guinness world record. 

Balawing, the son of a poor blacksmith in Sindangan, Philippines, was crowned the world's shortest man, measuring 23.6 inches tall. 

The previous record-holder, Nepal's Khagendra Thapar Magar, is 26.3 inches tall and held the title for about eight months. Although the shortest living man, Balawing missed the title of shortest man in history, which is held by Gul Mohammed of India, who was 22.5 inches tall and died in 1997.

Weighing in at only 11 pounds, Balawing looks like a toddler, and has experienced health and speech problems due to his size. But on Sunday, "dozens of journalists" showed up at his small home city, and he celebrated with a feast of roasted pigs for visitors, neighbors and family (including his three normal-sized siblings).

Balawing reportedly thanked the crowd in his local dialect, and then blew out the candles on his cake after several attempts. The Associated Press reported that he was later heard saying that he was tired.

Balawing's size has not always been cause for celebration: his family said that he was born as a normal sized baby, but quickly became sickly before his first birthday. He completely stopped growing two months after his birth and was not able to walk until he was five-years old. 

Around this time, Balawing was removed from school because he had proven distracting to the other students.

Despite health problems, Balawing's mother said he is a happy teenager. "Although he's short, he takes that in stride," Guinness World Records representative Craig Glenday told the AP. "He has this cheeky smile."

 

His father Reynaldo Balawing called his son a “lucky charm,” because, after his birth, Reynaldo was able to find a job that could support their family. Although the Guinness world record does not come with a cash prize, Glenday said he hopes that Balawing's new fame will help in soliciting donations for medical supplies.

The average one-year old boy is 28 inches tall.  

 

Balawing, who just turned 18, is 23.5 inches tall, succeeding previous title holder Khagendra Thapa Magar from Nepal, who is 26 inches tall.

A team from Guinness World Records made the announcement in the remote town of Sindangan, where Balawing lives, on his 18th birthday on Sunday. Claimants for the title must be at least 18 years old.

"We are happy on this day. We are proud of Junrey," his mother Concepcion said. 

The Guinness team, led by Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday, measured Balawing both vertically and horizontally before declaring him the world's shortest man and handing him a certificate.

Balawing's father said his son, the oldest of four children, stopped growing in his first year. His speech is also stunted and his conversations are limited to short phrases.
 

  Balawing mostly stays at home, needing assistance to move around. His condition has prevented him from attending school.

While the award does not come with a cash prize, Glenday said the team hopes that publicising Balawing's case will draw the attention of medical experts who may be able to help him. Local medical practitioners have not been able to explain his growth disorder.

"The previous record holder had been given medical care... He even had free surgery provided by the U.S.A. So there are benefits to being a record holder," Glenday said.

"We feel for him because of his size. Obviously, being that size, it's quite a compromised life. We hope that by publicising his case, medical practitioners will pay attention."

A smiling Balawing celebrated his 18th birthday with balloons and a cake.