Catalan ultra runner Kilian Jornet has successfully summited Mount Everest from the Tibetan side in a time of 26 hours, base-camp-to-summit. Climbing without fixed ropes or oxygen, he reached the top, via the customary northern route, at midnight (local time) on 22nd May.

Photo: Kilian Jornet, summits of My Life

Kilian set out from Base Camp on the northern side of the mountain, near Rongbuk monastery (5100m), on May 20th at 22h local time.

After 38 hours on the go he was back in Advanced Base Camp (6500m), where he confirmed having summited Everest at midnight, 26 hours after beginning the ascent:

"Until I reached 7700m I felt good and was going according to my planning" he said in his Summits of My Life blog; "but there I started to feel stomach ache, I guess due to [a] stomach virus. From there I have moved slowly and stopping every few steps to recover. However, I made it to the summit at midnight."

The original intention had been to set a total speed record for the ascent and descent; but being ill, he chose to stop the clock at ABC, 38 hours in, rather than returning immediately to Base Camp.

We are not clear as yet if this is a speed record.