KATHMANDU: A 16-year-old girl from Australia successfully climbed Mt Cho Oyu this autumn season becoming the youngest woman in the world to climb the mountain.

Born in March, 2003 in Brighton, Gabrielle Jane Kanizay along with her mother Jane Frances Kanizay from the International Mountain Guides stood atop the sixth highest mountain in the world at 8,188 metres last week, Ang Jangbu Sherpa, Managing Director at Beyul Adventure, said.

Gabby became the youngest female mountaineer in the world to successfully reach the summit of Mt Cho Oyu, Phunuru Sherpa, who also scaled the mountain for 19 times this season, told THT upon arriving in Kathmandu from Tibet this evening. Gabby and Jane were the only mother-daughter team of the season, he added.

“We made it to the summit of Mt Cho Oyu on September 25,” Phunuru said, adding that there were five members and five climbing Sherpas who scaled the mountain under the banner of IMG Cho Oyu Expedition 2019.

Phunuru also made the most successful ascents of Mt Cho Oyu. Besides, Yukinori Inagaki from Japan, woman climber Kimberly Ann Silloway from US and Jolanda Van Kesteren from The Netherlands along with Chhewang Lendu Sherpa, Pasang Kami Sherpa, Mingma Sherpa and Pasang Sherpa from the IMG Expedition locally managed by Beyul Adventure successfully climbed the mountain.

Gabby’s mother Jane had taken her on a mother-daughter trek to Everest Base Camp last year.

At the age of 16 years, American mountaineer Matt Moniz had climbed Mt Cho Oyu in 2014 becoming the youngest male to scale the mountain.