Following an 8,848-meter ascent, Peruvian athlete Victor Rimac achieved a mountaineer's ultimate feat: reaching the summit of Mount Everest —the highest peak in the world— using no supplemental oxygen.
By completing the arduous climb —which he began in April— the Ancash-born athlete has also conquered his fourth eight-thousander.
It is worth noting the 31-year-old summited the peak without the aid of supplemental oxygen, a doubly grueling endeavor.
"On May 21, I reached the summit of the highest mountain in the world, the Everest, at 8,848 m relying only on my lungs, without supplemental oxygen. Thank you all for joining me in this new stage," Rimac said.
Once there, the mountaineer waved the national flag, thus literally taking the Inca country to the top of the world.
An experienced mountaineer
The young athlete is no new to high-altitude climbing. Last October, Rimac reached the top of Cho Oyu, also part of the Himalayas mountain range.
At 8,201 m.a.s.l., the Cho Oyu became Rimac's third eight-thousander, following the Dhaulagiri (8,167m) and the Manaslu (8,156m).
Rimac is a high-mountain guide certified by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association.
