A Nepalese man has broken the world record after climbing the 14 tallest mountains on Earth in record time.

Nirmal Purja, 36, set the new record when he reached the peak of the 26,340 foot-tall Mount Shishapangma in China on Tuesday. Mount Shishapangma was the final mountain over 26,240 feet left for Purja to climb after ascending the other 13 around the globe in 189 days.

The previous record was set by South Korean climber Kim Chang-ho in 2013 after climbing the 14 mountains over seven years, 10 months, and six days.

“It is a great achievement for mountaineering and mountaineers and a milestone in the history of climbing,” former head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association Ang Tshering told ESPN.

Purja is a veteran of the British Army and began his mountaineering trek on April 23 when he climbed Nepal’s Mount Annapurna. He followed this up by climbing Mount Dhaulagiri, Mount Kanchenjunga, Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, and Mount Makalu in May before heading back to climb Mount Manaslu in September.

Pakistan followed in July when Purja climbed Mount Nanga Parbat, Mount Gasherbrum 1, Mount Gasherbrum 2, Mount K2, and Mount Broad Peak.

Purja began wrapping up his mountaineering quest in September when he climbed Mount Cho Oyu before moving on to Mount Shishapangma. However, China proved to be the hardest to accomplish when Purja faced resistance from the Chinese government over the climbs.

The climbs were finally given the okay after he was provided aid by the Nepalese government in the last two climbs.

Mountaineer Nirmal Purja has already summited Everest, Lhotse and Mount Makalu this year, in a record 48 hours
Mountaineer Nirmal Purja has already summited Everest, Lhotse and Mount Makalu this year, in a record 48 hours AFP / ROBERTO SCHMIDT
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