Nepali teenager hailed as hero after climbing world’s 8,000-metre peaks

In Pictures

Cheering crowds hailed an 18-year-old Nepali mountaineer as a hero as he returned home on Monday after he broke the record to become the youngest person to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre (26,500-foot) peaks.

Nima Rinji Sherpa reached the summit of Tibet’s 8,027-metre (26,335-foot) Shishapangma on October 9, completing his mission to stand on the world’s highest peaks.

On Monday, he returned from China to Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, where scores of people waited to see him.

“I am feeling very happy,” said the young mountaineer, draped in traditional Buddhist scarves and garlands of marigold flowers, as he emerged to loud cheers at the airport.

“Thank you so much, everyone,” he said to his supporters, beaming a wide grin.

Sherpa hugged his family while others rushed to offer him scarves and flowers. He later waved to the crowd out of a car sunroof, while proudly holding the national flag.

Nepal’s climbing community also welcomed several others who returned after completing the summit of 14 peaks.

Summiting all 14 “eight-thousanders” is considered the peak of mountaineering aspirations, with all the peaks located in the Himalayan and neighbouring Karakoram ranges, straddling Nepal, China, Pakistan, Tibet and India.

Climbers cross “death zones” where there is not enough oxygen in the air to sustain human life for long periods.

Italian climber Reinhold Messner first completed the feat in 1986, and only around 50 others have successfully followed in his footsteps.

Many elite climbers have died in the pursuit.

In the last few years, mountaineers have been expected to reach the “true summit” of every mountain, which many climbers of the previous generation had missed.

Sherpa is no stranger to the mountains,