President wishes first Sri Lankans on attempt to reach Mt. Everest summit

President Maithripala Sirisena recently met Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala and Johann Peries to wish them on their attempt to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara were also present to wish them on the occasion.

Set to make history for the country, Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala and Johann Peries will be the first Sri Lankans to attempt the 8,848m m climb to the summit of Mount Everestin April 2016.The duo will take Sri Lanka to the top of the world alongside a team led by the International Mountain Guides (IMG), a globally-renowned mountaineering company, which has successfully led several expeditions to the summit of Mount Everest over the last 30 years. 

Jayanthi and Johann’s combined skills and experience strongly complement each other and make them a capable and successful team. Mountaineering is a sport that relies on teamwork, communication and high levels of trust, which they have established since they teamed up in 2011. The duo has extensive mountaineering experience and recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest peak) as well as Island Peak in the Himalayas, which is 6,189m high.