73-year-old Malaysian ‘Iron Lady’ Suzie Oliver marks Everest Base Camp conquest on bucket list journey

MALAYSIA: A remarkable grandmother, known fondly as the “Iron Lady” among her friends, recently achieved a remarkable feat by conquering the Everest base camp at the age of 73.

Suzie Oliver, hailing from Malaysia, recounted her incredible journey in a recent interview with The Star.

For Suzie, reaching the Everest base camp marked the final accomplishment on her bucket list, a personal goal she had long aspired to achieve.

To prepare for this challenging climb, Suzie undertook rigorous training, including a successful summit of Mount Kinabalu in May and a grueling 25-hour ascent of the G7 mountain (also known as Yong Belar) in August.

Two weeks later, accompanied by two friends in their 40s and 50s, as well as a guide and two porters, Suzie embarked on her Everest expedition.

They faced daily treks lasting six to seven hours before reaching the base camp after eight days of relentless effort.

Apart from the physical challenges, Suzie’s vegetarian diet presented an additional obstacle during the climb.

However, Suzie’s determination and unwavering spirit shone through, bolstered by the applause and encouragement she received along the way.

She revealed that the breathtaking scenery and her unwavering focus on the path captivated her, leaving little time for capturing the moments with her camera.

She was also extremely focused on the path to the base camp and did not dare to look down, for fear of the terrifying heights.

While Suzie didn’t attempt to summit Mount Everest, she made this decision based on safety concerns raised by her family.

Nevertheless, her passion for staying fit extended beyond mountain climbing.

Suzie stayed fit by going to the gym and joining races

Suzie maintained her physical fitness by frequenting the gym and participating in various races, which became a family affair.

In 2014, she competed in a 10km Spartan race in Singapore alongside her daughter and granddaughter, triumphing in her age group by surpassing nearly 800 other participants.

Suzie’s fitness journey began when her daughter suggested she participate in a marathon in Singapore in 2007.

Prior to that, she had never engaged in strenuous physical activities.

Her dedication and hard work paid off as she managed to complete the 5km race.

Suzie also delved into cycling races, often participating in events in the United States, where her husband is from.

Suzie’s new aspiration is to climb another mountain in Nepal in the upcoming year

Hailing from Melaka, Suzie, who is married to an American but resides in Malaysia, shared her adventures as a chef in Singapore and her mission trips with her husband.

With her Everest base camp achievement now etched in her personal history, Suzie has set her sights on a new bucket list, which includes scaling another mountain in Nepal in the coming year, proving that age is no barrier to her relentless pursuit of adventure and personal achievement.