13-year-old becomes youngest to top Mount Everest

BEIJING – A 13-year-old American boy became the youngest climber to reach the top of Mount Everest on Saturday, breaking the former record as part of his quest to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents.

A spokesman for Jordan Romero says the boy's team called him by satellite phone from the summit of the world's highest mountain, 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) above sea level.

"Their dreams have now come true. Everyone sounded unbelievably happy," a new statement on Jordan's blog said Saturday morning.

The teenager with long curly hair — who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa when he was 10 years old — says he was inspired by a painting in his school hallway of the seven continents' highest summits.

"Every step I take is finally toward the biggest goal of my life, to stand on top of the world," Jordan said on his blog earlier.

The former record for the youngest climber to scale Everest had been held by Temba Tsheri of Nepal. He reached the peak at age 16.

By CARA ANNA,
Associated Press Writer