An army officer known as “Polar Preet” has broken the world record for the longest solo unassisted polar expedition by a woman.
Captain Harpreet Chandy, 33, is 67 days into the 1,100-mile Antarctic trek.
She wrote on Instagram: “Polar Preet broke the world record for the longest solo unassisted polar expedition by any woman in history!”
Team Army, the body that funds military sports, confirmed the achievement.
The British Army medical officer, who was made an MBE in the 2022 Birthday Honours, reached the South Pole for the second time earlier this month.
She has covered 868 miles (1,397 km) so far in temperatures as low as -50C (-58F), skiing 13 to 15 hours a day pulling a sled, which she prepared for by training in Greenland and Norway.
The previous women’s record was 858 miles (1,381 km) run by Anja Blacha in 2020.
However, Captain Chandy, a physiotherapist from Sinfin in Derby, fell short of her original aim of becoming the first woman to cross Antarctica alone and unsupported.
After setting off from Hercules Bay in November, her goal was to reach the Reedy Glacier within 75 days.
In an online travel blog, she admitted Thursday that she was “quite upset that I don’t have time to complete the trek.”
She added: “I know I’ve come a long way, it’s just hard when I’m on the ice and I know it’s not that far away.”
Image: Photo: polarpreet/Instagram Image: Preet Chandy, on day 39, pulling a 90kg sled. Photo: polarpreet/Instagram
She called it a “tough day today” and said listening to recorded messages from friends and family helped keep her spirits up.
“I still haven’t found the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy, but I still have a few more days to go,” she joked.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were among those who congratulated her, retweeting the message.
Astronaut Tim Peake commented on Instagram: “Great news. Congratulations Preet.”
The University of Derby, which awarded her an honorary degree, and the Ministry of Defense also praised her achievement.
Captain Chandy, who is based in a regional rehabilitation unit, helps wounded soldiers with training and rehabilitation. She first made history with a trek to the South Pole in 2021.
A GoFundMe page has raised more than £10,000, half of which will go towards an ‘adventure grant’ for women undertaking ‘unique challenges’, while the other will go towards Captain Chandy’s next expedition.
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