Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader welcomed mountaineer Thais Herrera, the first Dominican woman to summit Mount Everest, at the National Palace on Wednesday.
The president congratulated Herrera on Instagram, writing, “Congratulations Thais Herrera (@thaisherrera) for conquering the summit of Mount Everest and making history as the first Dominican woman to achieve it! Your bravery and determination have made you a #DominicanPride.”
Herrera began her ascent on May 16 at 11 PM Nepal time and reached Everest’s peak, standing at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), on May 22.
The final ascent, starting from base camp at 5,364 meters, involved several intermediate camps where Herrera and her team made strategic stops to acclimatize and regain strength. Her team included Ecuadorian mountaineer and guide Paul Guerra, along with experienced climbers Rinji and Tashi Sherpa.
Among the challenges Herrera faced was crossing the Khumbu Icefall, navigating crevasses with ladders, and climbing ice walls. She also endured summit day temperatures estimated at -35°C for 14 to 18 hours.
About Thais Herrera
Thais Herrera is an industrial engineer, general director of Asertiva Outdoor Education, a prominent figure in extreme sports, and a teacher at Barna Management School. Besides her Everest achievement, she is the first Dominican woman to complete the Full Ironman triathlon, which includes swimming, cycling, and running. She has completed six Full Ironman events to date.