KUCHING: At 61, Sarawakian adventurer Wong Su Chung has redefined personal limits by becoming the first Malaysian to complete a rare dual Antarctic expedition in a single journey,
Sarawak Tribune reported.
The Miri-born mountaineer achieved the feat between Nov 26 and Dec 18 last year, combining a successful ascent of Mount Vinson Massif with a ski traverse to the South Pole.
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After departing from Punta Arenas, Chile, Wong began climbing Antarctica’s highest peak on Nov 27 and reached the 4,892-metre summit on Dec 1 after six days battling extreme cold, high winds and thin air.
Rather than ending the expedition there, he transitioned into a 111-kilometre “last degree” ski journey from latitude 89° to 90° South, hauling supplies across exposed polar terrain with no natural shelter.
He arrived at the South Pole on Dec 15, completing one of the most demanding combinations in polar exploration and placing himself among a small global group to have achieved both objectives in a single trip.
Wong said the expedition was driven not by bravado but by years of careful preparation, shaped by a journey that included knee surgery, a shift to high-altitude mountaineering and his successful Everest summit in 2024.
Marking his 61st birthday at Union Glacier, Wong described the Antarctic mission as both physically tougher than Everest and deeply personal, saying he hoped his experience would inspire others facing difficult chapters in life.
