Mountaineer Johann Peiris who climbed Mount Everest with the first Sri Lankan to reach the summit Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, said that although he could not reach the summit, it was a great achievement for him to climb the mountain so far.

Peiris had to head back when he was as close as 300m to reach the summit since he did not have enough oxygen left.

“I do not see this as a defeat. I see this as victory. I was able to hoist the Sri Lankan flag in a height of 8400m on the Everest. Also, we both achieved victory as a team”, Peiris told BBC Sandeshaya.

Kuru-Utumpala who happens to be the first Sri Lankan to reach the Summit of Mount Everest said that it does not matter that Peiris could not reach the summit, since they work as a team and that team had achieved victory.