Models are almost always taller than the average woman - but this Russian beauty towers above everyone as she sets her sights on being named the tallest in her industry.

Towering above the average person in the street at 6ft 9ins, Ekaterina Lisina, 29, has already been officially crowned the tallest women in her native Russia.

But the Olympic medallist and former basketball player, from Penza, now wants to set the world record for being the world's tallest model as she switches careers - as well as being awarded a prize of having the world's longest legs.

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Ekaterina Lisina thinks she may have the longest legs in the world (pictured with an assistant on a photo shoot)

Former basketball Olympic medalist Ekaterina Lisina wants to be named the world's tallest model

Ekaterina said: 'The record is held at the moment by Amazon Eve and she is 6ft 8in, which is smaller than me.

'I really want to be in the book of world records as the world's tallest model. I also think I have a chance to be awarded the world's longest legs. My legs are around 52.4 inches, which is longer than the current record holder'.

The 29-year-old's striking height has won her fans from all over the world - many of them men with a penchant for taller 'Amazonian' women or women with big feet.

Because, as well as her exceptionally long limbs, Ekaterina has also been officially recognised as having the biggest feet of any woman in Russia with a european size 47, or a UK size 12.

Ekaterina has just launched her modelling career. She towers above the average person (pictured right with an assistant on a photo shoot)

Ekaterina gets a lot of attention from people when she goes out and about, and often gets asked to pose for photos with strangers on the street

She said: 'I do like the attention and I hope after I get the title I am going to get even more attention!'

'I think my long legs can definitely help my modeling career because there aren't so many models with such long legs.'

Ekaterina's 52.4 inch legs also propelled her to great success as a professional basketball player.

At the age of 16, Ekaterina had to choose between pursuing her dreams of becoming a model and playing basketball. Already on the path to success with basketball, she chose the sport, putting on hold her catwalk dreams

Standing at 6ft 9in in her bare feet, Ekaterina, from Penza, Russia, has already been named the tallest woman in Russia

Ekaterina was a basketball player but gave up the sport in 2014, who won a bronze Olympic medal (pictured right) with the Russian team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing

Ekaterina thinks she may be the tallest model in the world. She's launched a career in modelling after playing basketball professionally

She explained: 'I wanted to be a model since I was 16 but at that time I started my professional basketball career.

'Basically I had to choose between modeling and basketball and of course there was no question because with basketball I had talent.'

Playing for various teams in the Russian Premier League, including CSKA Moscow and Dynamo Kursk, Ekaterina also represented the Russia women's team at the 2008 Olympics, where she and her team won Olympic bronze.

Given that Ekaterina's parents were tall - her father is 6ft 5in (198cm) and her mother 6ft 1in (188cm) - Ekaterina was always destined to reach great heights.

Her father Viktor Lisin reveals that they noticed from birth that their daughter was a lot taller than average.

He said: 'When we were picking her up from the hospital we noticed right away that her legs were really long and her body mainly consisted of them.'

Ekaterina's older brother Sergei, who himself measures 6ft 6in, recalls his not-so-little sister being picked on by other kids at school.

She often poses for selfies in the street with passers by who are astonished at her tall stature and long legs. Her legs measure 52.4 inches

Ekaterina gets a lot of attention when she's out and about from strangers due to her height

The Russian beauty has to duck for most doorways as she is too tall for them

He said: 'I remember she was bullied a few times at school because she was the tallest and I had to show up there a couple of times.

'She realised quite quickly that it gave her a huge advantage in a sport which she started doing professionally almost straight away.

'So I don't think it was too uncomfortable for her. Also, because all of our family members are tall, not many of us felt uncomfortable about this fact.

'On the contrary, I think being tall is awesome, no doubts about that. If I had an option of adding on about four or five centimetres to my height I'd certainly agree to do that.'

But growing up, Ekaterina did find shopping for clothes a struggle.

Putting on her make-up for a modelling photo shoot is a struggle when the assistants are much shorter than Ekaterina

The leggy model admits that shopping for clothes is a huge challenge as she not only is much taller than many people but she also has a very large shoe size for a woman

She said: 'It was very difficult for me to buy clothes and I knew I was different.

'I only really realised I was attractive when I was about 24 years old. I always had an athletic body and was always much taller than everyone else my age.

'But then I realised that being tall is very attractive and that I got a lots of attention from men. I am so comfortable with my body now.'

The single mother of one says that carrying her son, who's now six-years-old, made her love and appreciate her body like never before.

She said: 'I think during pregnancy I developed curves and I started to feel so great about it.

'Before that, I always felt like I had a teenager's body but now I feel so feminine and confident.

'I feel really comfortable in my body right now and I don't have any problems being taller than everyone else. I love it.