Record-setting teen climber says Sherpas should be leading climbs

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A Sherpa teenager who's won mountaineering celebrity as the youngest person ever to summit the world's 14 highest peaks called for Sherpas to be recognized as athletes and expedition leaders as well as porters and guides.

“It's always been that Sherpas were supporting climbers and we're never seen as leaders of expeditions," Nima Rinji Sherpa told The Associated Press on Friday.

The 18-year-old is planning more, tougher climbs after completing a mission to scale all 14 mountains that rise above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) earlier this month on China's Mount Shishapangma.

The Sherpa community were mostly yak herders and traders living deep within the Himalayas until Nepal opened its borders in the 1950s. Their stamina and familiarity with the mountains quickly made them sought-after guides and porters, and eventually for them to dominate the Himalyan climbing business.

Tenzing Norgay conquered Everest with Edmund Hillary in 1953, establishing the community's fame as climbing masters.

But since then, Nima Rinji said, Sherpas have rarely been seen as expeidition leaders. He's started a “Sherpa power” campaign to change that. "This generation does have the potential because we have the privileges that those before us didn’t have, like good education, speaking well and we can understand what is happening regarding climate change, regarding the mountains,” he said.

Now, Nima Rinji and two teammates are planning to go back to Nepal's Mount Manaslu — the first of the 14 highest peaks he scaled — the hard way. He's planning a challenging winter ascent in the Alpine style: no support staff, fixed ropes or supplemental oxygen, carrying all their own gear and digging their own track to the top.

Before the winter climb, he will be climbing several small peaks, leaving for the mountains next week.

Nima Rinji comes from a legendary mountaineering family. His father and two uncles run Nepal's leading mountaineering expedition company, and his uncles were the first south Asians to complete the 14 peaks highest peaks. His father has climbed Mount Everest eight times.

The previous youngest person to climb all 14 peaks was Mingma David Sherpa, who was 30 years old at the time.

Nima Rinji Sherpa, the youngest person ever to summit the world’s 14 highest peaks poses for a photograph during an interview with the Associated Press, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Nima Rinji Sherpa poses for a photograph on top of G2 mountain in Pakistan, July 19, 2023. (14Peakexpedition Via AP)

Nima Rinji Sherpa, the youngest person ever to summit the world’s 14 highest peaks, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Nima Rinji Sherpa, the youngest person ever to summit the world’s 14 highest peaks speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Nepalese mountaineer Nima Rinji Sherpa, the youngest person to scale all the world’s 14 highest peaks, waves Nepalese flag as his arrives at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill each drove in two runs and finished with three hits as the San Diego Padres avoided a series sweep with a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

Tatis, who also stole a base, is 17 for 48 (.354) with four doubles and a home run in his last 11 games. Merrill highlighted his three-hit effort with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, his eighth of the season.

San Diego pounded out 14 hits, but went 4 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base. In consecutive losses to St. Louis, the Padres had scored just two runs and managed five total hits.

Griffin Canning (1-5) worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and a run in relief. It was his sixth career relief appearance. He has made eight starts this season. Bradgley Rodriguez started the second bullpen game of the series for the Padres. He pitched the first inning.

Kyle Leahy (5-4) pitched six innings in taking the loss as the Cardinals had their six-game home winning streak halted.

Merrill singled in the first inning, sending Samad Taylor to third. Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly scored Taylor, giving the Padres a 1-0 lead.

San Diego made it 2-0 in the fourth inning when Xander Bogaerts’ one-out RBI single scored Machado, who led off the inning with a double.

The Padres extended their lead to 3-0 in the fifth on an RBI double by Tatis. His run-scoring single in the ninth accounted for the final run.

St. Louis cut San Diego's lead to 3-1 when Alec Burleson extended his hitting streak to 17 games with an RBI single in the fifth.

Padres: After an off day Thursday, San Diego sends RHP Randy Vásquez (6-4, 3.63 ERA) against the Rangers on Friday. Texas has not named a starter.

Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore (3-3, 4.71 ERA) takes on Royals LHP Noah Cameron (3-4, 4.11) in Kansas City on Thursday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy throws the first pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)

San Diego Padres' Xander Bogaerts slides to second while St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn, right, throws to first during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)

San Diego Padres Kyle Hart pitches during the bottom of the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)

St. Louis Cardinals Masyn Winn, right, is out at second after San Diego Padres Will Wagner, left, tags him during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)