A 16-year-old man has received two Guinness Book of World Records awards.
Mathu, also known as Magnus, is already 215cms tall or just shy of 7’1" and has won the award for the largest hands on a teenager and the largest feet on a teenager, measured in London February 2018.
His left foot measures 32.95cm and his right 32.85cm. Similarly his right hand measures 22.5cm and his left hand measures 22.2cm.
He’s grown a bit since then, maybe next year he can win all three categories, feet, hands and height, making him the first ever person to do so.
The former Stoke Fleming Primary School pupil is off to college very soon to study blacksmithing and metal-smithing and has spent the last three years of his education at Atrium Studio in Newton Abbot.
Mathu’s mum Su said: “We’ve lived in Dartmouth for almost seven years. Devon has been all I’d hoped, just great for Mathu; a perfect safe and clean environment for a younger teenager to grow up in and for the most part people are polite, kind and thoughtful.
“In particular, his last three years at Atrium Studio school in Ashburton specialising in Architecture, Planning and The Built Environment has been largely responsible for shaping Mathus’ developing interest in heritage crafts.
“We’ve attended many medieval reenactment battles, such as the Wars of the Roses at Tewkesbury, which is brilliant if you’ve not been and even if you have, it’s something of an annual trek for us.
“Mathu has worked with some experts in Metalsmithing, Redmetals, Iron & Steel and worked on Leatherwork at the brilliant Tanner Bates in Dartington, making his own leather apron now in use at college.”
Mathu was offered an unconditional place starting at Level 3, a year above his peers and currently making and forging his own working tools. He loves writing short stories and poetry and has been published in two books, getting an A distinction in his recent GCSE results for spoken English and English Language.
He is interested in classical Greek and Latin and is studying these online with an erudite friend of his family living in Kansas, USA, who they hope to visit next year, although they’re having to save for first class airfares as Mathu doesn’t fit into standard or economy class seats.
On Thursday, September 6, Mathu should have been at the Guinness Book of World Records annual launch in London, as he is the holder of two current World Records with the longest hands and feet in the world within his age group, but studies have come first.
While being tall is an enviable trait for most people, there are downsides to Mathu’s height, making everyday situations just that little bit more tricky.
Chairs, tables, public transport seats, clothes, shoes, socks, coats, everything becomes more difficult and more expensive as soon as you can’t find your size on any rack.
When it comes to shoes, Mathu wears a 18.5 4E, meaning most of his shoes must be made to measure. This was compounded when he started his smithing course at college, as he needed specialist foundry boots for working in the forge.
Su said they found ’Jeff the Boot’ from Boltons Bros in Newcastle, and they flew there for him to be measured two weeks ago.
Su said: “Boltons are in fact the only company in Europe I have found through extensive research, that can make bespoke foundry boots to BS Standard for Mathu.
“A shout out to The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths, who, impressed by Mathus’ passion for blacksmithing, covered most of the £980 cost, thank you so much.”
Mathu certainly has a big and bright future ahead of him.
Su added: “If anyone knows where I can get clothes and foot wear for a 7’1", 56" chest, 38" inside leg, 16-year-old teenager, especially socks, then I’d love to hear from you!”