Sri Lankan Mountaineer Jayanthi Summits Matterhorn

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, successfully summited the Matterhorn on September 8, 2023. The climb was especially meaningful for Kuru-Utumpala as it took place on her father's birthday. Her father passed away nine years ago, and she dedicated the climb to his memory.

The Matterhorn is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy standing at 4,478 meters (14,692 feet) above sea level. Kuru-Utumpala and her guide, Nicole Berthod, spent eight days acclimatizing to the high altitude before attempting the summit. The climb itself was a gruelling 10-hour trek, requiring them to ascend over steep rock and ice.

Despite the challenges, Kuru-Utumpala reached the summit in good spirits. She said that the climb was "an amazing experience" and that she was "very grateful" for the support of her family, friends, and sponsors.

Kuru-Utumpala is a trailblazing mountaineer who has broken many barriers for women in the sport. She is the first Sri Lankan woman to summit Mount Everest, and she has also climbed other challenging peaks such as the Aconcagua and the Kilimanjaro.

In her social media post, Kuru-Utumpala also thanked her sponsors and supporters for their help in making the climb possible. She said that "it took a village to make this happen" and that she was "deeply grateful" for their support.

Kuru-Utumpala is an inspiration to many, and her story is a reminder that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Her climb centered the hastag "#climblikeagirl" and she is a role model for women and girls everywhere, and her achievements show that women can achieve anything they set their minds to.