SATV Kathmandu Sept 26: Legendary Spanish mountaineer Carlos Soria Fontán reached the summit of Mt. Manaslu (8,163 m) on Friday, becoming the oldest person to climb the world's eighth-highest mountain, according to expedition organiser Seven Summit Treks. He reached the summit at at 5:30 a.m, SST said.

The 86-year-old climber, born in Ávila, Spain, on February 5, 1939, dedicated the climb to the 50th anniversary of the first Spanish ascent of Manaslu in 1975, a team he joined but never summited with. Soria first reached the top of Manaslu in 2010 at age 71.

Widely regarded as a living legend, Soria is the only mountaineer to have summited ten of the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 m after turning 60, including K2 at 65, Broad Peak at 68, Makalu at 69, Gasherbrum I at 70, Kanchenjunga at 75 and Annapurna at 77.

Seven Summit Treks credited Sherpa guides Mikel Sherpa, Nima Sherpa and Phurba Sherpa, along with climber Luis M. Soriano, for their crucial support. The company said Soria's ascent highlights his lifelong message that "passion and perseverance know no age."