A boy from Serbia conquered a mountain almost 6,000 meters high when he was just 5 years old. Music also helped him on the way to the summit.
Munich – Other children his age might play soccer or dance ballet. A five-year-old boy from Serbia chose a particularly demanding sport for himself: mountaineering. Ognjen Žitkovic has now set a world record. On August 6, 2023, he became the youngest person ever to climb Kilimanjaro – at 5,895 meters, Africa’s highest mountain.
Five-year-old boy sets world record – and climbs Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro
A recent tornado at lofty heights showed that a mountain tour can be dangerous. But how did the little boy achieve this incredible feat at such a young age? With thorough preparation and a little help from older companions. According to the portal, little Ognjen was dreaming tanzaniaspecialist.de have been talking about climbing the “roof of Africa” for a long time.
To train, he first tried hiking up to a distance of 20 kilometers. Later, the first mountains were tackled: The five-year-old climbed the Sass Pordoi (2950 meters) and the Piz Boe (3125 meters) in South Tyrol (Italy). Ognjen motivated himself on his mountain tours with music from Sabaton – a Swedish heavy metal band.
Preparation for the mountain trip with a height simulator and experts
The young Serb then had to make further preparations for the Kilimanjaro project. This included vaccinations, insurance, visas, equipment and flight tickets to Tanzania. His mother also had to give written permission for her son to undertake the daring trip to the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Meanwhile, the young guy also had to physically prepare for the adventure, including by simulating the conditions at an altitude of 5,000 meters. Experts from Tanzania Specialist helped him. The company’s guides also selected the appropriate route for climbing the mountain: the so-called Machame Route. According to the company, this also offers “ample opportunity for the body to get used to the altitude,” it says on the homepage.
The five-year-old’s father was also there when he climbed Kilimanjaro
With his guides, consisting of dad Zoran and the locals Musa and Wilson, the five-year-old boy then managed to climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Despite the great efforts, the little mountaineer never lost his good mood, according to his fellow climbers.
Finally, in the early morning hours of the fifth day of the mountain tour, he arrived on the roof of Africa at an altitude of almost 6,000 meters. And was the youngest person to ever achieve this. Because of the wind and cold, the five-year-old had to wrap himself in a warm jacket, so he happily posed with his fellow competitors at the summit of Kilimanjaro. Meanwhile, in Bavaria, a father and his children had to be rescued from a mountain. (kh)
#Boy #climbs #summit #Africas #highest #mountain