Rabat – Climber Nawal Sfendla has become the first Moroccan to reach the true summit of Manaslu, standing tall at 8,163 meters in the Himalayas of Nepal. The Moroccan adventurer achieved her lifelong dream of raising the Moroccan flag atop this formidable peak on September 23.
“I am very, very, very proud. I am the first Moroccan in the world to achieve this. No Moroccan had done it before. Alhamdulillah, I did it,” she told Morocco World News.
Sfendla’s journey to the peak began as part of her training for an Everest expedition. However, the tragic earthquake that hit central Morocco on September 8 shifted her focus and fueled her determination to dedicate this climb to her country and the earthquake victims.
“It’s important to know that I learned about the earthquake in Morocco while I was on this expedition. It affected me greatly … It drained my energy, and I was not feeling well. However, I set a goal to reach this summit no matter what, to pay tribute and make my country proud,” she explained.
The journey to the summit was far from easy, requiring an unwavering commitment to her dream and overcoming countless challenges.
Sfendla’s path to this achievement began at a young age. She has been a dedicated runner since the age of 11, progressing from 5-kilometer runs to conquering half-marathons.
Taking her passion to the mountains, Nawal set her sights on the Seven Summits of the world. This adventure entails scaling the highest peaks on each continent.
She started her journey with Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, followed by Aconcagua in Argentina, Elbrus in Russia, and Denali in Alaska.
Read also: Moroccan Alpinist Nawal Sfendla Takes on Mount Denali in Seven Summits Quest
However, Sfendla encountered several challenges in the pursuit of the true summit of Manaslu in September 2022.
“I aimed for the true summit to train on glaciers for Everest, which is part of the Seven Summits Challenge. Unfortunately, the weather was one of the worst in Manaslu’s history that season,” she said, noting that the weather conditions led to many tragic incidents.
Despite reaching a maximum altitude of 7,300 meters, the Moroccan climber had to halt the expedition for safety reasons.
Undeterred, Nawal intensified her training and secured sponsorships to finance her future ascents. She made a triumphant return to Manaslu, starting the climb on September 5 and conquering the summit on the 23rd.
“I am someone who doesn’t give up. Throughout my upbringing, my family, and my parents have always taught me to fight, to go all the way, to always turn the negative into positive,” she said.
Sfendla noted that during her five years as a mountaineer, she encountered several obstacles and had “many doors closed” on her. But she has always kept a positive mindset.
She highlighted that she had learned to “accept failures, disappointments, and all that is negative, and to turn it into something positive.”
Sfendla conveyed a strong message of perseverance and ambition to the youth, advising them to “never give up on your dreams, truly live them.”
“It’s not just about dreaming. Having a dream is good, but you must have a goal behind it and make the effort to achieve it and go all the way,” she concluded.
