READING 3 An Amazing Athlete

An Amazing Athlete

Read the following article. Pay special attention to the words in bold. 12.5

Erik Weihenmayer is as tough as any mountain climber. In 2001, he made his way to the top of the highest mountain in the world—Mount Everest—at the age of 33. But Erik is different from other mountain climbers in one important way: he is completely blind. He is the only blind person to reach the top of the tallest mountain.

Erik was an athletic child who lost his vision in his early teens. At first, he refused to use a cane or learn braille1, insisting he could do as well as any teenager. But he finally came to accept his disability. He couldn’t play the same sports as he used to. He would never be able to play basketball or catch a football again. At 16, he became interested in rock climbing. Rock climbing led to mountain climbing, the greatest challenge of his life.

The members of his climbing team say that Erik isn’t different from a sighted climber. He has as much training as the others. He is as strong as the rest. He is like any other climber: flexible, mentally tough, and able to tolerate physical pain.

Climbing Mount Everest was a challenge for every climber on Erik’s team. The reaction to the mountain air for Erik was the same as it was for his teammates: lack of oxygen causes the heart to beat more slowly than usual, and the brain does not function as clearly as normal. To climb Mount Everest is an achievement for any athlete. Erik Weihenmayer showed that his disability wasn’t as important as his ability.

1 braille: a system of reading and writing for the blind that uses raised dots for letters, numbers, and symbols

Erik Weihenmayer on Mount Everest