GAINESVILLE, Florida: The world’s tallest teenager is trying his hand — his reach, really — at football.
Florida basketball player Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 center who played for the Under-19 Canadian national team this summer, recently worked out for the Gators’ football team.
Rioux donned an orange helmet and took snaps on special teams, with Florida assistant coaches hoping his massive wingspan might be a difference maker when it comes to blocking field goals and extra points.
“I like the idea,” Gators basketball coach Todd Golden said during a booster event Thursday evening. “I give them credit for trying it.”
There was one issue: The 305-pound Rioux has an 11-inch vertical, so even with his extra-long reach, he was unable to block any kicks during the workout.
“They were a little disappointed,” Golden said.
No worries. Rioux can simply stick to his full-time gig with the hoops team.
After redshirting as a true freshman last season, he’s expected to get on the court in limited capacity this fall. He’s unlikely to play much considering the defending national champions return their entire frontcourt, but he should at least get on the court in garbage time.
Golden already has considered using him to guard inbound passes, something Rioux did to perfection just before halftime against the United States in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland earlier this month. Rioux forced an errant pass that led to a turnover and a 3-pointer just before halftime.
Rioux’s unusual height landed him in the Guinness World Records a few years ago and he has become a walking viral video at Florida. While coaches and teammates climbed a ladder to cut pieces of the nets after the Gators won the Southeastern Conference Tournament, Rioux was able to do it while standing flat-footed.
The world’s tallest teen, 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux, gives football a try at Florida
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The world’s tallest teen, 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux, gives football a try at Florida
- The Florida basketball player, who played for the Under-19 Canadian national team this summer, recently worked out for the Gators’ football team
- There was one issue: The 305-pound Rioux has an 11-inch vertical, so even with his extra-long reach, he was unable to block any kicks during the workout
Alonso fears more pain in China with struggling Aston Martin
- Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia
SHANGHAI: Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia.
Silverstone-based Aston Martin endured a horror start after serious issues with their Honda power unit and a lack of spare parts.
Two-time world champion Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll had to endure extreme vibration in the chassis caused by the power unit, which was feared could cause the drivers permanent nerve damage.
“The situation unfortunately didn’t change within four or five days since Melbourne, so it will be a difficult weekend,” Alonso told reporters at the Shanghai International Circuit.
“We’ll limit the laps in one or two sessions as we are short on parts. We need laps, to find the window on the chassis side.
“I’ll be happy if we leave China with a more or less normal practice, more or less normal qualifying.”
The Spaniard could not put a timeframe on when improvements might come.
“What can I do within the team? Work harder, help Honda as much as I can,” said Alonso.
“We can allocate resources to help Honda with the power unit. We are one team, it is a bumpy start that I hope won’t last too long.
“We are pushing, we have very talented people in the team, so I hope within a couple of grands prix, we can have a normal weekend.
“To be competitive will take more time. Once we fix the reliability, we will be behind on power and things.”
The 44-year-old veteran has been in Formula One for more than two decades and has driven vastly different iterations of cars from the old V10 petrol engines through to the current complex hybrid configuration.
Despite the issues he said was embracing the challenge of the new cars enthusiastically in what could be his final season on the grid.
His Aston Martin contract expires at the end of 2026.
“Do we enjoy driving these cars? Yes, because we love racing,” Alonso said.
“I do four or five 24-hour races because I love racing and I love driving. So if you jump into an F1 car, you enjoy going fast.
“But it is a challenge, a different challenge.
“I was super lucky to race in (the last) era and I feel lucky to race in both.”
