Photo via Instagram
Setting a historic and unparalleled record, Egyptian marathoner and mountaineer Manal Rostom became the first Egyptian woman to climb to the top of Mount Everest.
Her feat was accomplished on Monday, 16 May, eliciting awe, and excitement on social media platforms.
An Instagram account named Michael Hamill, Premier Seven Summits Mountaineering Guide Service, a world leading mountain guiding service was the first to break the news, which then spread feverishly as Rostom’s fans and mountaineering enthusiasts carefully monitored news for the on-coming record.
Last week, Rostom posted a heartfelt video on her Instagram account, where she opened up about her journey at Everest camp, and described the situation as “tough, challenging, isolating, physically demanding, mentally draining”. After which, she received thousands of supportive comments from her followers, in addition to a video from her friends and family, cheering and praying for her.
Born and raised in Kuwait, Rostom has climbed a total of seven mountains, was the first Hijabi woman to model in a Nike Running Campaign in 2015 and first Arab to be featured in an Audio Guided Run on the Global Nike Run Club App in 2018.
Adequately, she was named “Africa’s top 50 most powerful women” by Forbes Africa in 2020. Seeking to inspire further, she is also the founder of a closed Facebook group called Surviving Hijab, which empowers hijabi women and helps them in their journey towards defying societal stereotypes about them.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
RSS