Gabby Kanizay becomes youngest Aussie teen to climb Mount Everest

Gabby Kanizay has become the youngest Aussie to climb Everest after training for the climb since she was 14.

Gabby Kanizay has made history, becoming the youngest Australian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, aged just 19 years and 68 days old.

The Melbourne teen conquered the highest mountain in the world on May 14, something she has been planning since 2018.

“It was the most amazing feeling,” she told Channel 9. “Just to know that you’re literally on top of the world and there is nobody higher than you at this point.”

Gabby Kanizay has gone from the beaches of Brighton to the top of the world at just 19. Picture: Instagram

With a team of Sherpas and her mum Jane by her side, Kanizay spent an hour at the summit to watch the sun rise across the Himalayas.

Kanizay said it was “awesome” to climb with her mother and it’s an experience they will “be able to share together for the rest of our lives”.

“To be there at the same time, to then stand on the summit together, was truly incredible,” Kanizay told the ABC.

Gabby and mum Jane (left) helped each other “stay strong” on the climb. Picture: Instagram

They are one of the very few mother-daughter duos to reach Everest’s peak, after Sydney women Nikki and Cheryl Bart in 2008.

Gabby’s father, Jarrod Kanizay said he was incredibly proud of his “courageous” daughter

“She has an energy about her that does allow her to stick to her guns and follow through,” he said, adding that it was a “mind blowing” achievement for the duo – who have been training for Everest for more than four years.

In 2018, the pair trekked to Everest Base Camp, a journey which inspired Gabby to set a climbing schedule that led to this record-breaking climb.

“I just came here (Everest) and fell in love with the atmosphere. I fell in love with the people who work here and you’re just surrounded by these enormous mountains,” Gabby told the ABC.

Tendi Sherpa (left) helped Jane and Gabby (right) to the summit. Picture: Instagram

Tendi Sherpa, who accompanied Gabby and her mum on the climb, sang the teen’s praises and said it was an “honour” to guide the teen.

“Throughout the climb Gabby (has) been mentally and physically so strong that on both mountains we passed all the traffic of climbers on our way up and the down safely,” he wrote on Instagram.

“Beside being a strong climber she is one of the most kindest person I have ever guided!”

In 2019, at just 16 years of age, Gabby became the youngest woman to summit Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth highest peak at 8201m, some 20km west of Everest.

This climb was originally planned for 2020, when Gabby was just 17 and (at the time) required her mother’s company. But her plans were put on ice due to Covid.

After a two year delay, Gabby didn’t need parental guidance, but because the duo had already put in the grunt work together, they wanted to make history together.

Gabby plans to climb all 14 mountains in the world. Picture: Instagram

And the mountaineering teen has no plans to slow down.

In fact, days after conquering Everest, she climbed back into the 8000m “death zone” to tackle the world’s fourth-highest peak, and Everest’s neighbour, Lhotse.

She plans on completing all 14 mountains in the world above 8,000m – and she’s already completed three of them.

Gabby said she thinks Tendi would be keen to keep tackling high-altitude climbs with her.

“So I’ll see how many of the 8,000m peaks I can get done, because I do love the high altitude climbing,” she said.

The sky really is the limit for this ambitious teen.