This person believes that it doesn't matter how old you are as long as you have a dream. Yuichiro Miura had one dream - to climb to the highest point of the planet and race back on skis at high speed. He believes that if you show will, you can do anything.
The athlete made his next climb to Everest after the fourth heart operation. And even when he was over the eighties, he did not stop dreaming of conquering a new peak.
Biography
Yuichiro Miura was born in the Japanese city of Aomori in 1932. His father, Keizo Miura, was a renowned mountaineer and skier. He was educated at the University in Hokkaido, but did not pursue a career, but took up skiing professionally. Keizo was the first skier in Japan to start making money in international competitions.
Also his merits were: descent from rather high mountains (at the age of 99 years, Keizo skied down Mont Blanc), the use of a parachute for braking during descent, and other achievements. Therefore, Yuichiro had someone to learn the skill of a skier.
And he repeated and increased his father's successes: in 1964 he showed the fastest downhill in a duel in Italy: he raced along the track at a speed of 172 km / h.
His name is among the first skiers to descend from the highest peaks on the planet. Beginning in 1966, he attended competitions in Australia on Mount Kostsyushko; in 1967 - in Alaska on Mount Denali; in 1970 - descended from the highest point in the world on Everest; in 1981 - together with his 77-year-old father and eleven-year-old son, he descended from Kilimanjaro; in 1983 - in Antarctica descended from the Vinson Massif, in 1985 - from the highest point of Europe on Elbrus; 1985 - from Mount Akongagua in South America.
Everyone who follows his progress has been amazed by the record descent from Everest. It was one of the most difficult expeditions, and many died that time. Even the experienced guides did not survive, and Miura survived, although he was already eighty years old at that time.
At that time, he began to descend from a height of eight thousand meters and drove two kilometers along a difficult track of steep slopes in a little more than two minutes. In order to dampen the speed, he used a braking parachute. However, he could not finally slow down, because he fell. It was carried by inertia along the ice hummocks for almost half a kilometer. There was solid ice, and there was no way to slow down - Yuichiro was just flying towards a huge ice crack. A few meters before the disastrous abyss, he gathered all his strength and was able to slow down.
All this was filmed by a cameraman who could not help Miura in any way - he was too far away. Later, a documentary was made about this descent, which was enthusiastically received by the audience and received many awards and prizes, including an Oscar for best documentary in 1975.
Contribution to public life
After all that he had experienced, Yuichira gave an interview and said that he had already been on Everest when he was 70 years old, and then returned here at 75 years old. And that now he came here for the last time - he will no longer bother the impregnable peak. Moreover, this descent was one of the most difficult.
He said that after climbing to the top, he began to feel weak, so he had to rest and refresh himself. With him was his son Gotha and a team of climbers. After a respite, Yuichira was offered help, but he said he never gave up and went downhill on his own. He walked for more than two hours, then took a break at the next camp. And then there was this famous descent.
Miura is said to be an athlete pushing the boundaries of human capabilities. And he himself often argues on the topic: did he use all his resources, or is there still something unclaimed?
Hearing such things from the mouth of such a person is at least strange: in addition to playing sports, Yuichiro has a lot of responsibilities. First, Miura is the headmaster of a high school in Hokkaido; secondly, he is building a political career; thirdly, he gives motivational lectures to young people in different cities of Japan. And these are already three different areas of activity.
For the first time, Miura thought about politics in 1995 - he became a candidate for governor of the city of Hokkaido. What is it for him? The athlete answered this question like this: “I had two reasons. First, I wanted to try myself in an absolutely unknown direction for me. Second, I would like to turn our city into something like the French Alps."
He tried to become governor several times, but each time he lost. He not only worried about this, but also gained experience in this unfamiliar business. Who knows - maybe after leaving the sport altogether, Yuichiro will finally become a politician?
In the meantime, he dreams of the next achievement - a new summit and descent from it. He is not going to retire from the sport. At least as long as his body serves him faithfully.
Personal life
Yuichiro Miura is married with two children. Daughter Emily, who helps her father in everything and believes that her dad is a source of inspiration for the whole family. She supports him in everything and never dissuades him from dangerous expeditions.
Goth's son is an experienced climber, he has already conquered many peaks in his life, but he has not yet repeated the results of his father.
The Japanese government highly values the achievements of Yuichiro Miura, and therefore an award in his name was established in the country. It is received by those who have challenged themselves and have pushed their potential to the limit.
