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Kilimanjaro quickie
01/09/2004 22:09 - (SA)
Johannesburg - South African mountaineer Lance de Willers has set a world record by being the fastest person to ascend and descend Kilimanjaro.
"The new record is mine," De Willers said in a statement.
"I am very sore, but it is so exhilarating to know that I did it," he said.
The 35-year-old mountaineer from Pretoria has set a record by ascending and descending Kilimanjaro in 12 hours 26 minutes, more than two hours faster than Tanzanian, Rogath Mtuy, who did it in 14 hours and 50 minutes.
Of the five Tanzanian mountain guides who competed with him, only two finished an hour after him.
"They ran with their hearts and for their pride. "I had no choice, but to approach it more scientifically, so I had to climb according to my heart rate, which was close to maximum all too often," he said.
The descent was not without hurdles.
"I had a nasty fall on the way down and I hurt the ligaments in my one foot as well, but it didn't slow me down.
"My family, who had been waiting for me, was just as surprised to see me back so early!"
- SAPA
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