Jaimie Donovan, 8, becomes youngest person to visit North Pole
Jaimie Donovan, 8, has been named the youngest person to set foot on the North Pole.
The young Irish girl, along with her father, marathon runner Richard Donovan, braved -26° temperatures to reach the top of the world on Easter Sunday.
"It was cold and the helicopter was noisy," Jaimie said. "I loved the North Pole and I want to go back."
"I think she quickly realized seeing Santa Claus was not going to be an option as she stepped out into those conditions," Richard told the Irish Independent.
Richard organizes an annual North Pole Marathon. To celebrate the race's 10th anniversary, he brought his daughter along with him.
"I decided to bring Jaimie and my wife Caroline this year as it was the 10th year of the race and they were long overdue a trip to see what I've been working hard to achieve for the last decade. It was a simple coincidence that she seems to be the youngest to stand up there. I was just proud of her very good behaviour and the fact she took the trip in her stride at her age, embracing the adventure," he told Press Association.
Jaimie beat the previous youngest record holder by just one day. In 1998, Alicia Hempleman-Adams stood on the North Pole at the age of 8 years, 173 days. Jaimie was 8 years, 172 days last Sunday.
The Donovans will apply to have Jaimie's record acknowledged by Guinness World Records.
Richard has a world record of his own, having run seven marathons on seven continents in four days, 22 hours and three minutes.