15-year-old Alikut Dilxat has successfully ascended Mount Qomolangma, fulling the dream of his father and himself. He also becomes the youngest Chinese to sumbit the world's highest peak.
URUMQI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Early last Sunday morning, Alikut Dilxat, aged 15, ascended the southern slope of Mount Qomolangma, attracting attention across China.`
"My son told me he had fulfilled my dream," said Dilxat Abdurexit, whose own long-cherished wish was to climb Mt. Qomolangma. Now, his son has accomplished it ahead of him.
The 15-year-old grew up in Urumqi, a northwestern city in China. Looking from this city's downtown area, the main peak of the eastern Tianshan Mountains, Mt. Bogda, stands prominently.
His father is the captain of the Xinjiang Mountaineering Sports Service Center's outdoor rescue team. Influenced by Dilxat from an early age, Alikut developed a passion for outdoor activities. At 10, he started mountaineering.
"Sometimes at home, he would wear my mountaineering clothes and shoes, thinking everything about it was cool," said Dilxat.
The crisp sound of crampons and ice axes hitting the ice deeply attracted this teenager. Although his mother did not support him of following in his father's footsteps, his determination was firm. Alikut persuaded his mother repeatedly and promised to climb only with her consent.
"You always need to have an exploratory spirit," he said, "If you hesitate, you can't do anything well."
The father and son conquered the 7,546-meter-high Muztagh Ata in August last year together, which excited Alikut immensely.
"My mind went blank, and I didn't even know I had reached the summit," he recalled. "Although mountaineering is hard and sometimes very scary, every time I reach the summit, I want to go again."
His idea of climbing Mt. Qomolangma was conceived of last October. After climbing another peak in the Tianshan Mountains with his father, he gained a lot of confidence.
"At the summit, I told my father I wanted to challenge my limit," he said.
Previously, every mountain he climbed had his father's company, but this time he set off alone.
During the 28-day adaptation training in Nepal, far away from his hometown, the strong hypoxic reaction occasionally made Alikut experience mental fluctuations, and he told Dilxat that he wanted to give up. Due to work reasons, the 49-year-old could only constantly comfort his son by phone.
"To be honest, even I didn't have full confidence, but he persisted slowly to the end," said Dilxat.
After reaching the summit of Mt. Qomolangma, Alikut's next goal is imminent. He will immediately return to Urumqi to participate in the high school entrance examination in June.
"I hope to be admitted to an ideal school," he said. "And my heart never stops, I also hope to study mountaineering guides and other related majors in university to continue pursuing my dreams." ■
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