Ex-marine tops Everest after 8,000-mile triathlon

A erstwhile Royal Marine has reached the acme of Mount Everest aft swimming, cycling and moving much than 8,000 miles.

Mitch Hutchcraft started by swimming the English Channel connected 15 September and the 240-day situation concluded erstwhile helium topped the world's highest upland connected Sunday astatine 07:30 BST.

His squad said it was the world's longest ever ascent of Everest from oversea to summit.

The 31-year-old, from Ramsey successful Cambridgeshire, said the accomplishment was "more magical than I could person ever dreamed".

"Although I mislaid my dada 11 years ago, helium was with maine each measurement of the way," said Hutchcraft, speaking to his squad implicit the telephone aft summiting.

"It's been tough. Really tough. The astir hard happening I've ever done.

"But I couldn't beryllium happier and much arrogant of finishing this epic adventure."

After swimming the 35km width (21 miles) of the Channel from Dover, Hutchcraft cycled astir 12,000 km (7,456 miles) from Europe to Digha successful India.

He past ran 900km (559 miles) to Kathmandu successful Nepal, earlier starting his 360km (223-mile) trek to Everest basecamp.

Hutchcraft said helium had dreamed of completing the ascent since helium was 8 years old.

"Never successful a cardinal years did I deliberation this would beryllium however I'd get here," helium said.

"I conscionable privation it to animate others to judge that immoderate they're dreaming, nevertheless small, they conscionable request to get retired determination and smash it."

Hutchcraft, who has had a afloat genu reconstruction, was erstwhile told the country would marque it intolerable to adjacent articulation the military, fto unsocial implicit a situation of this magnitude.

He has been raising wealth for SAVSIM, a wildlife conservation organisation, dedicated to providing intelligence wellness enactment to veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic accent upset and akin issues.

He said: "For maine this is truthful overmuch much than conscionable a imagination to marque history, it is besides the accidental to rise funds and consciousness for an astonishing non-profit organisation precise adjacent to my bosom and springiness backmost to seasoned intelligence wellness and wildlife conservation."

His begetter died abruptly erstwhile helium was 20, which became a driving unit successful his determination to articulation the Royal Marines.

He served six years until 2021.

His challenge, named Project Limitless, is being filmed by a accumulation squad and is owed to officially extremity erstwhile helium returns to basecamp - which helium was owed to bash by Monday morning.