Elderly Climber, Age 80, Sets Record as Oldest to Conquer Mount Everest
In an incredible feat of human endurance, 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer Yuichiro Miura has climbed Mount Everest, becoming the oldest person to achieve this remarkable accomplishment.
Gyanendra Shrestha, a Nepalese mountaineering official, confirmed Miura's achievement at Everest base camp. The previous age record holder was Nepal's Min Bahadur Sherchan, who accomplished the feat at 76 in 2008.
Miura reached the summit of Mount Everest at 9.05am local time, and he and his son Gota called the support team from the summit to report the news. The climbers planned to stay around the summit for approximately half an hour.
The successful climb by Miura at 80 years old raises the bar for what is possible in mountaineering. Miura's website states that a successful climb of Everest at 80 years old would make him "never happier." He expressed his feelings about the achievement, saying, "This is the world's best feeling," and also mentioned his exhaustion.
Public broadcaster NHK showed footage of Miura's daughter Emili talking with the support team via speaker phone in Tokyo. The statement on Miura's expedition's website suggests that he is attempting to set a new standard for mountaineering at an advanced age.
Miura's intention for scaling Everest at 80 years old is to challenge his own limits and honor nature. His previous climbs of Everest were at the ages of 70 and 75 years old.
Sonam Gyatso, a climber from the past, was the oldest at age 42 in 1965. Huh Young-ho from Korea set a national record at age 63 for being the oldest Korean to summit Everest in 2017. Sherpa climbers such as Kami Rita Sherpa are known for multiple ascents, but his age was 54 in 2024 for his climbs.
However, the oldest known overall summiter, not from these records but established historically, is Yuichiro Miura at age 80.
As Miura prepares to return home, Nepal's Min Bahadur Sherchan, now 81, is preparing for his own attempt on the summit next week. Miura's record-breaking climb serves as an inspiration to all, demonstrating that age is just a number in the face of human determination and the call of the mountains.
Gyanendra Shrestha, a Nepalese mountaineering guide, might be enthralled by Yuichiro Miura's repeated sports expeditions, considering his ownther Min Bahadur Sherchan is preparing for an attempt on Mount Everest's summit next week, aiming to surpass Miura's record as the oldest person to climb the mountain.
Despite the exhaustion Miura expressed after his triumphant climb, he might also find joy in the possibility of inspiring others with his passion for travel and mountaineering, especially those interested in hockey or other sports, as age is just a number in the face of human determination and the call of the mountains.
