Yisrael Kristal, who died in 2017, was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s __________.

Introduction / Context:
Guinness World Records often certifies individuals for “oldest person”, “tallest person”, and similar records. These records frequently appear in general knowledge questions. Yisrael Kristal was one such record-holder whose death made international news. This question checks whether you can correctly recall the specific record he held.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The person named is Yisrael Kristal.
• He was certified by Guinness World Records.
• The task is to complete the statement: he was the world’s ________.
• Options include tallest man, oldest man, youngest man, and smallest man.

Concept / Approach:
General GK about world records includes knowing that Yisrael Kristal was recognised as the world’s oldest living man at one point. His exceptional longevity, having survived the Holocaust and living well beyond 100 years, was widely reported. We must match this key fact with the correct description among the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Yisrael Kristal was a supercentenarian – a person aged 110 years or more. Step 2: He was officially certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living man. Step 3: Compare this information with the options: tallest, oldest, youngest, smallest. Step 4: Only “World’s oldest man” accurately reflects his recognised record. Step 5: Therefore, choose “World’s oldest man” as the correct completion.

Verification / Alternative check:
Cross-checking reliable news sources or Guinness World Records summaries shows that Yisrael Kristal was declared the world’s oldest living man after the previous record holder passed away. At no point was he mentioned as being exceptionally tall, small, or young in record terms. The key reason for his appearance in GK and news is his extreme age, confirming that the correct phrase is “world’s oldest man”.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
World's tallest man: This record has been held by other individuals, such as Robert Wadlow or later tall record holders, not by Yisrael Kristal. World's youngest man: This phrase does not make sense as a Guinness record category and is not associated with him. World's smallest man: That record belongs to other individuals; Yisrael Kristal was not noted for exceptional short stature.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may mix up different Guinness record holders, confusing the oldest-person record with tallest-person or smallest-person records. Another pitfall is simply guessing based on what sounds familiar, rather than recalling the actual news item. To avoid this, when you read about a Guinness World Record holder, mentally pair the name with the specific record category – oldest, tallest, fastest, etc. This habit greatly improves accuracy on such questions.

Final Answer:
Yisrael Kristal was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest man.