Standing 2.23m tall – Chinese star exits women’s World Cup

Chinese teenager Zhang Ziyu has towered over the women’s basketball World Cup in Berlin - and her coach has tipped the 2.23-metre tall player for the very top. She is heading home after her team lost 90-61 to France in their quarter-final on Thursday, but she has been the talk of the event. As one of the tallest women in the world, she looks primed for a possible career in the WNBA in North America, although experts say the 19-year-old still needs to learn how to run and use her body for maximum impact. The Chinese team have a special training programme for her before games which she completes away from the rest of the squad. Her coach Gong Luming told reporters that she is “a once-in-a-century talent not only for our country but for the world.” US star Caitlin Clark said last week that “I’ve never played against a woman of that size” - although favourites the US ran out easy 94-61 winners over China in group play and are now into the semi-finals. Even at the age of 7, Zhang measured 1.60m, several heads taller than other girls and boys her age. (DPA)