ROK woman 1st climber to scale world's highest peaks
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
KATHMANDU, Apr 27 (AFP): A South Korean climber Tuesday became the first woman to scale the world's 14 highest mountains, live television pictures showed, although her record bid has been clouded by a disputed ascent.
Footage broadcast in South Korea showed Oh Eun-Sun planting her national flag on the summit of Annapurna, a 8,091-metre (26,545 foot) peak in Nepal -- beating other female competitors racing to collect the 14-summit record.
The achievement meant Oh, 44, became the first female climber to claim to have conquered all the world's mountains measuring over 8,000 metres.
"Mansae! (Hurrah!)" Oh shouted, waving and bowing towards an accompanying cameraman from South Korea's KBS television. "I am happy and thank you," she said, weeping with joy.
In a televised message to her parents, Oh said: "Mama, Papa, I miss you. Now I want to go back home."
Footage broadcast in South Korea showed Oh Eun-Sun planting her national flag on the summit of Annapurna, a 8,091-metre (26,545 foot) peak in Nepal -- beating other female competitors racing to collect the 14-summit record.
The achievement meant Oh, 44, became the first female climber to claim to have conquered all the world's mountains measuring over 8,000 metres.
"Mansae! (Hurrah!)" Oh shouted, waving and bowing towards an accompanying cameraman from South Korea's KBS television. "I am happy and thank you," she said, weeping with joy.
In a televised message to her parents, Oh said: "Mama, Papa, I miss you. Now I want to go back home."