Kathmandu, May 25: Eighty-one climbers, many trying to break records, have reached atop the Mount Everest within three days from May 22 even as the Nepal's capital is witnessing arrival of large numbers of world renowned summitters ahead of the 50th anniversary of the world's highest summit's conquest.
Over 100 international Everest heroes have already arrived in Kathmandu to take part in the golden jubilee celebrations on May 29 of the conquest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, while 206 have confirmed their participation.
More than 400 climbers, including over a hundred Nepalese, are expected to gather in Kathmandu for the grand occasion to honour the Everest heroes.
Nepalese crown prince Paras will confer Sagarmatha Golden Jubilee medal to world renowned climbers including Hillary and first women climber Junko Tabei of Japan, who have set different records on Everest, at a special function in Kathmandu's Yak & Yeti Hotel on May 29.
Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand will honour the other Everest summitters at Birendra International Convention Centre on the same day. Hillary and Junko Tabei will get special honour by taking them round the city on a decorated horse pulling cart on May 27.
So far, 1,251 people from around the world have climbed the Everest since 1953, when Hillary and Norgay first conquered the 8848-metre mountain.
During the last few days, many world records have been set by climbers.
On Thursday, Yuichiro Miura of Japan broke the record as the oldest person to conquer Everest, reaching the summit at 70 years and 222 days old.
One day later, Nepalese Sherpa Pemba Dorje smashed the record for the fastest climb, setting a time of 12 hours 45 minutes.
A fifteen-year old Nepali girl Ming Kipa Sherpa could have possibly set the record becoming the youngest climber. However, this is yet to be officially confirmed.
She has climbed from the northern Tibetan side on Thursday, and we have yet to confirm about her exact age, said Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association.
The standing record for the youngest Everest summitter was set by Temba Chheri, who lost several of his fingers to frostbite when he summitted in 2001. He was 15 years 18 days at the time.
Bureau Report
