On May 22 this year, former New Zealand Test cricketer Adam Parore climbed Mount Everest to become the world's first international cricketer to do so. Parore was accompanied by three guides, ten sherpas and seven other climbers who raised 100,000 New Zealand dollars altogether($79,000) for the children’s charity.
Former New Zealand cricketer Adam Parore became the first international cricketer to climb the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest in May 22, 2011. Parore, who was then 40, became the first international cricketer to achieve the feat of climbing the highest peak in the world — standing at 8,848 metres above sea level.
Parore did not have the same international career as most of his fellow countrymen. He played 78 Tests and 179 ODIs and finished with a modest average of 26.28 in Tests and 25.68 in ODIs before retiring at the age of March 2002. The now 51-year-old took up this daunting challenge to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“I’m a bit buggered and sick and tired of not being able to breathe. I’m trashed physically, totally destroyed,” he said.
Parore was accompanied by three guides, ten Sherpas and seven other climbers who raised 100,000 New Zealand dollars altogether($79,000) for the children’s charity.
"It hasn't really sunk in, to be honest. But what a view, mate. You can see the end of the world but it's just a shame you don't know what you're looking at," he told Radio Live before making his way back to base camp, which is located at 5000 m all those years back.
"I spent about 20 minutes to half an hour up there. I took a few photos but I wanted to come back. It is very exposed and a long way down," Parore was quoted as saying by 'Sunday News' as well. "I had great plans on what I should do and how I might feel but in the end, it was a bit of an anti-climax. I just wanted to get down and live."
The 40-year-old said it was a lifelong dream to scale the peak 8848m above sea level even though he feels destroyed at the end of the adventure.
His achievement caught the eye of many, including his former teammate and current cricket pundit, Simon Doull. He said, “It is unbelievable. It is an amazing feat and the fact that he has done it for charity indeed makes it very special.” He also added: “It is probably the most difficult challenge ever; people who have reached the top of Everest will tell you that. But Adam has always been a very determined man, and he always accomplishes whatever task he takes up in life.”
Parore was the first Maori on the New Zealand cricket team. He was a gifted wicketkeeper and one of the most consistent players in the game. After a topsy-turvy career with the Kiwis, he retired at the age of 31. At the time of his retirement, Adam had scored 6179 international runs (2865 test runs and 3314 ODI runs) and was involved in 337 dismissals behind the wicket.
The wicketkeeper-batter got his first opportunity in ODI cricket in 1988 at the age of 17. His first test for the Kiwis came two years later.
