84 year old breaks world record in Kilimanjaro

An 84-year old American national, Mr Richard Byerley, has made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, thus breaking the Guinness World Records by becoming the oldest person to reach the summit of Africa’s highest mountain.

The American alfalfa farmer from Walla Walla, Washington in the United States, began scaling the mountain last Sunday at 12.00 noon, through Machame Route, accompanied by his grand children, Bren (24) and Annie (29), who also conquered Kilimanjaro, one of the World's Heritage Sites, and reached Africa's highest peak on Thursday at 6.15 am.

The octogenarian and his two grand children were escorted by guides and porters from the Moshi-based Tanzania Travels, a tour operator company, of whom one was a guide, two assistant guides and 14 porters.

The guide, Rashid Massoud (33), told the 'Sunday News' at Mweka Gate, through which they descended the mountain, that the American climbers had no problems on their trek to the top, much as they experienced bouts of mountain sickness.

He said Mr Byerley was stronger on his way to the top of the mountain than the escorting team. They will cap their African climbing adventure with a two-day safari to Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, which is also a Natural World Heritage Site.

The current oldest Guinness World Record holder to the summit of Kilimanjaro on foot is a retired British man, Professor George Solt, who earned the title last year at the age of 82.

However, it is purported that 87-year old Frenchman, Valtee Daniel reached the summit of Kilimanjaro but his ascent was not documented.

Byerley’s attempt to complete this feat could have gone unrecognized if not for the trained eye of Robin Paschall, founder of the US-based Adventures Within Reach, a tour operator located in Boulder, Colorado, specializing in customized and affordable adventures.

While arranging his trip, Paschall, a Kilimanjaro booking specialist, realized that a successful ascent would land Byerley a place in the Guinness World Records, and therefore her company was arranging to document Byerley’s climb in order to fulfill the stringent criteria required by Guinness World Records.

Senior officials from Tanzania Travels, Mr Patrick Lemmy and Joyce Dickson were all tears of joy as their company played host to the thrilling adventure as the name of their company had a crucial role to play to make the feat a success.


/Daily News/