Maxime Chaya
| Maxime Chaya | |
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'There is an Everest for Everyone'
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| Born |
December 16, 1961 Beirut, Lebanon |
| Residence | Baabdat, Lebanon |
| Nationality | Lebanese |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics and Political Science |
| Occupation | Sportsman, Climber, Explorer, Professional Speaker, Corporate Ambassador |
| Spouse(s) | Pascale Melhem Kesrouani (Poupa) |
| Children | Edgard & Kelly |
| Awards | Officer of the National Order of the Cedar |
| Website | www |
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Maxime Edgard Chaya (born December 16, 1961) is a Lebanese sportsman, mountaineer and explorer. On May 15, 2006, he was the first Lebanese to climb Mount Everest, completing the Seven Summits challenge. On December 28, 2007, he also became the first from the Middle East to reach the South Pole on foot from the Antarctic coast, after an unsupported and unassisted journey that lasted 47 days. Then, on April 25, 2009, he reached the North Pole on foot, all the way from Canada.
Maxime Edgard Chaya was born and raised in Beirut until the year 1975 when the civil war saw him and his family take refuge abroad. He pursued his education overseas in Greece, France, Canada and the United Kingdom, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Honors degree from the London School of Economics (LSE).
Chaya then spent a year as a trainee at Republic National Bank of New York's head office on Fifth Avenue before foregoing post-graduate studies and returning home to take over the family's Foreign Exchange business. In 1999, he founded his own company VO2max, and through it, organized races and competitions for Lebanese youth of all ages. Cycling, both road and Mountain Bike, triathlon, road running, trail-running, rock climbing, ski touring and freeride were all part of the VO2MAX challenge series of events from 1999 to 2003.
Besides organizing events for others, and the youth in particular, Chaya showed great interest in competing personally, and seemed to excel in every discipline he would adopt. Despite the lack of professional training and advice (his country was at war), his rigorous training, coupled with unfailing determination, perseverance and willpower won him several awards and trophies in a host of disciplines both at national and international level.
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Wikipedia