Oisin will attempt to climb Mount Everest next month. — Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (March 22): A Sarawak resident is ready to make history by taking up the challenge of climbing majestic Mount Everest, slated for next month.
Oisin Jangin from Mulu will join Ravichandran Tharumalingam, two-time solo summit of Everest, Malaysia, and a few other climbers in a bid to conquer the world’s highest mountain above sea level, which peaks at 8,850 meters above sea level.
Oisin, 25, jumped at the chance when Ravichandran called him a few weeks ago and invited him on the trip.
“Like any mountaineer, I have always dreamed of climbing Mount Everest and I am very happy to have this opportunity to join Ravi’s team for the ascent,” he told reporters after suffering his medical examination at KPJ Kuching Specialist Hospital yesterday. .
Oisin blows into the spirometer during the lung function test. — Photo courtesy of KPJ Kuching Specialty Hospital
His health screening for the expedition, which included a blood test, lung function test and chest X-ray, was sponsored by the hospital.
Oisin, who is from Berawan and of Irish parents, pointed out that the Mount Everest expedition would be his first attempt to scale one of the highest peaks in the world.
Besides the 2,376-meter Mount Mulu, which he has climbed countless times due to his work as a tour guide for Mulu National Park over the past seven years, the avid mountaineer has not had the chance to climb the highest mountains in the world.
“Believe it or not, I’ve never even climbed Mount Kinabalu – one of my wish list goals, before the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced.
“I wanted to try just to train, but I never had the opportunity to because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the MCO.
“So while I may not have climbed high mountains, the opportunity to climb Everest is great and I don’t want to miss it. That’s why I accepted Ravi’s invitation,” he said.
Oisin said that to prepare for the trip, he trained between eight and ten hours a day.
“Some of my physical activities include jogging, running, swimming and of course mountaineering.
“However, one of the big challenges for me would be the cold weather on Mount Everest, which is going to be a new experience. For that, I will seek advice from Ravi on what to pack for the trip.”
Oisin hoped to be able to conquer Mount Everest when the time came.
“In terms of fitness, I know I’m in pretty good shape, but there will be a lot of challenges ahead.
“Anyway, I will do my best for Sarawak and hope I can show the Sarawak flag on Mount Everest,” he said.
