A new national record in children's mountain tourism has been registered in Ukraine. Nine-year-old Kyiv resident Evelina Sargsyan became the youngest child in the country to climb all six peaks of the Ukrainian Carpathians that rise above 2,000 metres. This was announced by Lana Vetrova, head of the National Register of Records of Ukraine, who published the corresponding confirmation on the social network Facebook. In doing so, the young athlete has entered the history of domestic mountaineering, surpassing previous achievements in the children's age category.
Six peaks conquered by a child
The list of peaks conquered by Evelina includes all six 2,000-metre summits of the Ukrainian Carpathians: Hoverla (2,061 m), Brebeneskul (2,035 m), Pop-Ivan Chernohorskyi (2,028 m), Petros (2,020 m), Hutyn Tomnatyk (2,016 m) and Rebra (2,001 m). Each of these peaks represents an independent route with its own difficulties, terrain and weather conditions. For a child who is only nine years old, completing all six peaks in sequence is not just a sporting result, but a multi-month programme of preparation, logistics and physical load that the family carried out gradually, from one peak to the next.
How the record was verified
The official confirmation of the record was carried out in accordance with the standard procedure of the National Register of Records of Ukraine. The organisers checked the GPS tracks of all the ascents, recorded using the Strava and Wikiloc services. In addition, as part of the evidentiary base, photographs, video recordings and other hiking materials confirming Evelina's presence on each of the peaks were submitted. It was precisely the combination of digital and visual data that allowed Lana Vetrova and her team to officially register the achievement in the register.
The first hike: three peaks in one day
Particularly intense for the young traveller was her first hike within this series. In a single day, Evelina climbed three peaks at once — Rebra, Brebeneskul and Hutyn Tomnatyk. This 'linked' format requires the participant to have not only good physical fitness but also the ability to quickly adapt to changes in route, altitude differences and weather conditions. For a child who was nine at the time, this was a serious test; however, according to the family, the girl handled the task confidently and without signs of fatigue that could have jeopardised the subsequent ascents.
The next goal — Mont Blanc
Evelina has no plans to stop at what she has achieved. The next great dream of the young record-holder is to climb Mont Blanc — the highest peak of the Alps (4,808 m), located on the border between France and Italy. Moving from the Carpathian 2,000-metre peaks to the Alpine summits means a qualitatively different level of difficulty: high-altitude conditions, glacier routes, the need to work with rope equipment and, as a rule, multi-day expeditions. Nevertheless, the family emphasises that the goal will be pursued in the same gradual mode — with preparation, acclimatisation and the support of experienced instructors.
The father's view: from 'almost impossible' to a step-by-step plan
Evelina's father, Samvel Sargsyan, said that initially the idea of conquering all six 2,000-metre peaks together with his child seemed almost impossible. 'We did not set a big goal for ourselves right away; we moved gradually — from one peak to the next,' he noted. This approach made it possible to avoid overloading and to turn the series of ascents into a sustainable habit rather than a one-off stressful episode. The story of the nine-year-old Kyiv girl demonstrates that a love of the mountains can appear even in early childhood, and that great travellers become a reality thanks to preparation, perseverance and the support of adults.
