By Raynald Rivera
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani will culminate his seven-summit challenge after scaling Mt McKinley (Denali)-the highest peak in North America next year, the prominent Qatari mountain climber and philanthropist said yesterday.
“I have already scaled six summits in various continents and there’s only one left- Mt Denali in Alaska, which I would climb along with my team in May next year,” said Sheikh Mohammed at yesterday’s press conference after returning from a successful expedition to Mt Everest.
Sheikh Mohammed, who is Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) Brand Ambassador, became the first Qatari to scale Mount Everest-the Top of the World with an altitude of 8,850m.
“Standing on the highest point on Earth was like winning an Olympic medal, the only difference was I competed not with others but myself. Raising the Qatari flag on the summit was the best moment in my life,” he said.
It was his mother whom he called first upon reaching the summit, telling her “I’m standing on top of the world!”
Rallying for the rights of children for education, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani was accompanied throughout his adventurous two-month journey by a team of Arabs named “Arabs With Altitude,” which included his friends Raed Zidan, who became the first Palestinian man to summit Mt Everest, Masoud Mohammad, Raha Muharrak who became the first Saudi Arabian woman and youngest Arab to summit Mt Everest and the videographer Elia Saikaly.
Their expedition to Mount Everest raised $1 million for ROTA’s education projects in Nepal.Sheikh Mohammed will be resuming his training to stay in optimum physical condition to head for his seventh summit adventure to Mount McKinley or Denali “The High One”, which is the highest mountain peak in North America with a summit elevation of (6,194 m) above sea level.
For Sheikh Mohammed, mountaineering is a passion and his dedicated mission is to push his limits to reach the seven highest summits of the seven continents of the world.
Among the other mountains he has already scaled were Mont Blanc; Mount Kilimanjaro; Mount Vinson, the highest peak of Antarctica; Mount Elbrus, the highest point in Europe Mount Kosciuszko in Australia; Mount Aconcagua (South America), the highest peak in the Western hemisphere.
“Each of the summits climb brings with it a different learning experience about life. If there’s one value of learned in mountain climbing, it’s patience. In the mountain it’s all about patience and survival,” he explained.
Before he was able to climb Mt Everest, Sheikh Mohammed said he underwent a great deal of physical training for four years.
“Each of the mountains I climbed was a preparation for scaling Mt Everest which did not only involve physical training but training on other aspects such as weather and altitude,” he said.
ROTA’s Marketing, Events and Fundraising Director, Mohamed Al Naama commended the achievement of Sheikh Mohammed saying, “His feat is an inspiration for all of us. By reaching the summit of Mount Everest, Sheikh Mohammed has brought home the message that to accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”
Lauding the achievement of Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani, ROTA Executive Director Mr. Essa Al Mannai said, “By reaching the summit of Mount Everest, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani has made each and everyone of us proud. His feat is a testament to our belief that the Youth, with their contemporary competencies, creativity and flexibility, strong social values and sense of engagement, can achieve the impossible.”
Climbing as Brand Ambassador for ROTA, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani has successfully taken the message of ROTA to new frontiers that education is a right for everyone. THE PENINSULA
