Daaaaaang! Last week, an 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer became the oldest person to reach the top of Mount Everest: Yuichiro Miura, 80, scales Everest.
Let me say that again: the guy is 80 years old. Last Thursday, Yuichiro Miura conquered the 29,035-foot peak, becoming the oldest man to make it to the top. The previous record was held by Nepal's Min Bahadur Sherchan, who was 76 when he reached the summit in 2008.
Oh, by the way, this was Miura's third time spanking Everest's ass -- he previously climbed to the top when he was 70 and 75. How badass is that?
Miura and his son Gota called them from the summit, prompting his daughter Emili to smile broadly and clap her hands in footage on public broadcaster NHK.Sherchan, now 81, was planning on climbing Mount Everest just days after Miura to reclaim his record, but he was forced to abandon his attempt due to worsening weather conditions on the mountain: 81-year-old Nepalese climber quits Everest attempt.
"I made it!" Miura said over the phone. "I never imagined I could make it to the top of Mount Everest at age 80. This is the world's best feeling, although I'm totally exhausted. Even at 80, I can still do quite well."
The climbers planned to stick around the summit for about half an hour, take photos and then start to descend, his office said.
Nepalese mountaineering official Gyanendra Shrestha, at Everest base camp, confirmed that Miura had reached the summit, making him the oldest person to do so.
