Record-Setting Twins

World's Tallest and Shortest Twins

Michael and James Lanier, United States

7-feet, 6-inches each

The Lanier Brothers (shown in the picture to the right with the Rice Twins) played collegiate basketball at The University of Denver and UCLA, respectively. We don't have birthdates for the Lanier Twins but believe it was in 1969?

John and Greg Rice, United States
34-inches each

The Rice Brothers (shown in the picture to the right with the Lanier Twins) have their own motivational firm, 'Think Big'.

In the photo shown, the two sets of twins pose next to each other during a 1999 television appearance. A sad update to report...John Rice passed away on November 5, 2005 due to a heart attack suffered during a surgery. He was 53.

Ann and Claire Recht, Canby, Oregon
6-feet, 7-inches each

According to the 2004 Guinness World Records book, the tallest female twins in the world are now twin sisters, Ann and Claire Recht, of Canby, Oregon (Ann is at the left in the picture shown to the left). The Rechts come from a big family. Dad is 6-5 1/2, their Mom is 6-3, they have an older brother who is 6-9, another brother who is 6-8, and a sister who is a 'mere' 5-11. Ann and Claire graduated from La Salle High School in Milwaukie, Oregon, near Portland.

Claire and Ann are now playing collegiate volleyball at American University and helped lead their squad to the NCAA tournament in 2006. Their school's web site actually lists their heights at 6'8" although we think Guinness now lists them at 6'7" each. They were featured in Sports Illustrated recently.

The Recht Twins took over honors as the world's tallest female twins from Heidi and Heather Burge, who are each 6 foot 5 inches. The Burge Sisters are from Palos Verdes, California and played collegiate basketball at the University of Virginia, where they helped guide the Lady Cavs to three Final Four appearances. The story of the Burge Twins was told in a made-for-TV Disney movie, Double Teamed, that premiered in January, 2002.

Heidi played professionally for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks in 1997 and 1998. Both are now married, retired from basketball, and live in Southern California (Heather) and Houston (Heidi). The photo of the Burge Twins to the right is from their collegiate playing days at Virginia. Heidi is on the left and Heather is on the right. It was taken by Jim Carpenter and is owned by the University of Virginia Athletic Department.

There may be new record-holders in this category shortly as Beatrice and Suzanne Bofia from Yaounde in Cameroon (Africa) are 6'7" and 6'6", respectively. But they'd have to be measured by Guinness to take over as the new record-holders.

Dorene Williams and Darlene McGregor, United States
4-feet, 1-inch each

Greatest Height Difference Among Twins

Koehler Twins, United States

Don Koehler (1925-1981) and his fraternal twin sister were born in Denton, Montana. Born to tall parents (their mom was 5'10", their dad was 6'2"), Koelher started an abnormal period of growth when he was 10 years old. He was 8'2" tall before dying, one of the tallest men to live in the 20th Century. His twin sister was 5'9" for a difference of 29 inches between the two twins.

Another candidate for greatest height differential between twins is 7'9" Hussain Bisad of London, England and his 5'5" twin sister, Khardra, who lives in their home of Somalia. These twins are 28" apart in height, but there is a little question about Bisad's exact height.

Former NBA Basketball Player Alexsandar Radojevic and his fraternal twin brother Zelimir are 7'3" and 6'3", respectively, a difference of a foot.
Twinstuff 13:23, 21 May 2007 (CDT)