Africa-Press – Tanzania. A PAKISTANI national has set his sights in climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in less than 24 hours.
Asad Ali Memon aims to achieve the rare feat having already successfully climbed Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas, and hoisted the Pakistani flag at the top of the peak located in Argentina.
“Many Pakistani people have climbed this peak, but they have taken between five to six days… but I want to do it in a day, in less than 24 hours,” the mountaineer told Geo.tv in a recent interview with the Pakistani based broadcaster.
Memon draws such motivation from Swiss mountain runner Karl Egloff in 2014, who ran to the 5,895 metre summit in four hours and 56 minutes, thereby beating the previous ascent-only record by Spanish runner Kilian Jornet, set in 2010.
Karl then trotted back down to the gate in a total time of six hours 42 minutes and 24 seconds.
“My ultimate aim is to break Egloff’s record, but due to limited resources and latest equipment, I am to at least summit it in 24 hours,” said the determined mountaineer.
He further shared that he won’t be carrying any food or water with him except chocolate bars.
Mt Kilimanjaro expedition will be Memon’s third mountain of his ‘Seven Summit Challenge’.
A previous holder of the record for the fastest ascent and descent was Tanzanian Simon Mtuy.
Dedicated to break the silence of HIV/AIDS around the mountain, Simon set the world record for the fastest unsupported ascent and descent of Kilimanjaro, clocking nine hours, 21 minutes and 47 seconds round-trip to raise awareness of the killer disease.
In 2018, Danish athlete Kristina Schou Madsen reached the summit of Kilimanjaro via the Mweka Route- and descended on the same route – in a speedy six hours, 52 minutes and 54 seconds, setting the Fastest Summit by a Female record, while Coaltan Tanner, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, reached the summit of Kilimanjaro aged just six years, one month and four days.
In doing so, he broke one of the most enduring records on the mountain by becoming the youngest person ever to reach the summit unaided.
Mount Kilimanjaro routes and their variations take between five to nine days to complete.
Out of the many Kili expeditions, 60 per cent of climbers make it to the top.
Apart from the distinct climatic zones, Kili climbers also experience a drop in oxygen from 4,000 metress on their ascension.
