On August 4, 37-aged Alexan Bayanduryan climbed Mt. Ararat supported by an American of the Armenian origin Varuzhan Amirhanian and the Pyunic Union for Disabled. Bayanduryan is the first disabled to reach this altitude (photos).

Alexan lost his left leg in a mine explosion during the Artsakh war in 1993. However, amputation did not make him disappointed. A father of two children he is one of the most active disabled sportsmen. Alexan has participated in different wheelchair marathons. He also participates in an annual climb to Mount Aragats initiated by Pyunic Union in 1997.

Alexan fulfilled his dream to climb Ararat after three-year training. On August 4, he reached the Ararat summit as a member of the international expedition. “I was unaware of the difficulties I might face. The main obstacles came across at an elevation of 4200 m, but then oxygen shortage and headache were easily overcome. My mission was to climb Ararat in the name of the fallen soldiers-liberators, and I achieved my goal. Unfortunately, we could not see Armenia from the top because of fog,” he told the journalists.

Not a single one-legged person has climbed Ararat so far. At present, Alexan Bayanduryan is getting ready for the next challenge of climbing Mount Everest.  “I must reach the summit of Everest. After three-year efforts I managed to climb Ararat, let’s see how much time I will need to scale Everest,” he said.

Hakob Abrahamyan, Chairman of the Armenian Paralympic Committee and the Head of Pyunic Union for Disabled, called on the disabled and journalists to participate in the traditional climbing of Aragats scheduled for September 21.