Purnima Shrestha-The extreme athlete who pushed limits in 2024
Purnima Shrestha, a 33-year-old Nepali photojournalist and mountaineer, made history in May 2024 by becoming the first woman to summit Mount Everest three times in a single climbing season. She achieved this remarkable feat within just 13 days, reaching the summit on May 7, May 14, and May 20, 2024.
Born in Arughat, Gorkha, Nepal, Shrestha began her mountaineering career in 2017 with an ascent of Manaslu. She has since summited several major peaks, including Mount Everest in 2018, Ama Dablam in 2019, and Annapurna in 2021, where she was part of the first team of Nepali women to reach the summit. In October 2021, she became one of the first Nepali women to successfully climb Dhaulagiri, the seventh-highest mountain in the world. Shrestha’s recent achievement has garnered international recognition. In December 2024, CNN included her in their list of “The extreme athletes who pushed limits in 2024,” highlighting her extraordinary accomplishment of summiting Mount Everest three times within two weeks.
Her success has been an inspiration, particularly for Nepali women, encouraging them to pursue mountaineering and challenge traditional gender roles. Shrestha’s dedication and perseverance exemplify the spirit of adventure and the pursuit of excellence in high-altitude mountaineering.
