TODAY Online.com
Thursday May 21, 2009
By Low Lin Fhoong
ARMED with a banner and placards, Republic Polytechnic students Atiqah Zaini and Renuka Singh were 3,519km away from Nepal, home to the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.
But that didn’t stop the 19-year-olds from sharing the joy - and the thrill - felt by the first Singaporean women to conquer Everest.At 3.45am yesterday (6am, Singapore time), Ms Jane Lee, Ms Esther Tan and Ms Lee Li Hui became the first Singaporean women to summit the 8,850 metre peak, located on the Nepal-China border.
The trio are part of the six-member National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) Singapore Women’s Everest Team.Ms Lee Li Hui, 27, was the first to reach the summit at 3.45am; followed by Ms Tan, 26, at 3.54am; and team co-leader Jane Lee, 25, at 4.43am.
The three women could not be contacted yesterday as they were still descending the mountain. They were scheduled to reach the Everest base camp tomorrow.
But their trainer, Mr Lim Kim Boon, who is also their base camp manager, offered a glimpse of how the women felt to be on top of the world, literally.“They are very excited except that the scenery is not as good as they had expected. And they all were very, very happy and very thrilled,” Mr Lim told Channel NewsAsia.
News of the three women’s Everest feat spread quickly among the 30-strong Mountaineering Alps Club at Republic Polytechnic, where Ms Jane Lee works as an experiential education officer and Ms Lee Li Hui, an academic associate.
By 1pm, about 80 students and staff had gathered at the Republic Polytechnic Centre to celebrate the women’s triumph.“They’ve made the school proud, and the country proud by being the first women’s team here to summit Everest,” said Ms Singh, who is one of the 10 female members of the mountaineering club started by Ms Jane Lee last September.Added Ms Atiqah, a second-year business computing student: “Jane’s our role model ... I want to be in her shoes one day, and conquer Everest.”
THE LONG JOURNEY
The Everest team left for Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 21. They had spent two months acclimatising and preparing for their summit attempt.It had been a tough journey for the women, who witnessed avalanches on the Khumbu Icefall during their third acclimatisation cycle.
The team were also forced to postpone their first summit attempt on May 11 and 12 due to weather changes. Last Friday, Ms Jane Lee’s team left the Everest Base Camp (5,300m)and began their push for the summit from Camp 4 (7,950m) at about 8.on Tuesday, before reaching the top yesterday morning.
The second team of Joanne Soo and Lee Peh Gee are scheduled to leave Camp 4 tonight for their summit attempt.Co-leader Sim Yi Hui, 27, who is having chest pains, will not be making the attempt.The team’s Everest success comes just five days short of the 11th anniversary of the first Singaporean ascent by Khoo Swee Chiow and Edwin Siew, who planted the flag in 1998.
The women’s triumph has been hailed as “another historic achievement” by their patron, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan.“They have once again demonstrated what our people can do against all odds when we set our minds to it ... I hope it will inspire many more Singaporeans to go forth and pursue their passions and achieve their goals,” Dr Balakrishnan said.
At the homes of the three women, the mood was not just one of joy but also relief.Ms Jane Lee’s father, Mr Lee Hua Nam, told 938LIVE: “I was very emotional when I heard the news, because I feel that mountain climbing is too strenuous and difficult… At least (now), she has a good result from it.”Ms Tan’s elder sister, Alice, said: ““My first thought when I heard the news was, thank God! ... We’re all elated and grateful that the training and hard work has paid off.”
The six women are expected to return to Singapore by June 15.
