Khoo Swee Chiow
Encyclopedia
Khoo Swee Chiow is a Singaporean
adventurer, author and motivational speaker
. Khoo is the 1st South East Asian and the 4th person in the world to complete The Explorers Grand Slam
, that is, the South Pole
, the North Pole
and the Seven Summits
.
in 1998 as a member of Singapore
's first Mount Everest expedition. In 1999, he skied to the South Pole
as the leader of Singapore first Antarctica expedition, covering a distance of 1,125 km in 57 days. In 2001, he climbed Mount Ararat
in Turkey together with six other Everest summitters from Turkey, Colombia
, the United States and Mexico
as part of a Peace Climb project to raise funds and promote international friendship. In that same year, he climbed Shishapangma
in Tibet becoming the first South East Asian to climb an 8,000-metre peak without supplemental oxygen.
In 2002, he skied to the North Pole
with Arctic guide Paul Landry and a dog named Apu, after failing the previous year due to frostbite on a finger. Khoo becomes the first South East Asian and the fourth person in the world to complete "The Adventure Grand Slam
," that is, the South Pole
, the North Pole
and the Seven Summits. He lost his bid to sail around the world in 2003, as his expedition was canceled due to lack of funding during the SARS outbreak and Iraq War period.
In that same year, he cycled from Singapore to Beijing in 73 days covering 8,066 km. In 2004, Khoo attempted to climb Mount Everest without oxygen but had to turn back 400 metres below the summit due to exhaustion.
On December 5, 2004, he successfully swam the Straits of Malacca from Tanjung Rupat in Indonesia to Port Dickson
, in 22 hours over a distance of 40 km. He had been inspired to perform this feat at the age of six, after watching a Japanese man who was the first man to ever swim across the straits, starting his swim in front of his house. His attempt at swimming the English Channel
in the summer of 2005, however, was unsuccessful due to hypothermia
.
On December 25, 2005, Khoo broke the world record for the longest scuba
dive done in a controlled environment, in this case in a tank. He stayed in the mineral-water-filled tank at Tampines Central for 220 hours, breaking the record by 7 hours and 30 minutes, surpassing British diver Michael Steven's 1986 record.
On May 23, 2006, together with Malaysian CEO Vincent Loh, age 51, Khoo reached the summit of Mount Everest for a second time, making him the only South East Asian to summit Mt Everest twice.
On January 21, 2008, Khoo completed the World's Longest Journey on Inline Skates by skating from Hanoi, Vietnam to Singapore, a total of 6088 km in 94 days. This is Khoo's second Guinness World Record.. His motto is "Dare To Dream".
(6962m), the highest peak in South America and one of the 7 Summits that Khoo has climbed. Together they have a son and daughter.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
adventurer, author and motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
. Khoo is the 1st South East Asian and the 4th person in the world to complete The Explorers Grand Slam
Explorers Grand Slam
The Explorers Grand Slam or Adventurers Grand Slam is an adventurers challenge to reach the North Pole, the South Pole and all of the Seven Summits....
, that is, the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
, the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
and the Seven Summits
Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
.
Expeditions and Feats
Khoo climbed Mount EverestMount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
in 1998 as a member of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's first Mount Everest expedition. In 1999, he skied to the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
as the leader of Singapore first Antarctica expedition, covering a distance of 1,125 km in 57 days. In 2001, he climbed Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat and Lesser Ararat .The Ararat massif is about in diameter...
in Turkey together with six other Everest summitters from Turkey, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, the United States and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
as part of a Peace Climb project to raise funds and promote international friendship. In that same year, he climbed Shishapangma
Shishapangma
Xixabangma, frequently spelled Shishapangma or Shisha Pangma , also called Gosainthān , is the fourteenth-highest mountain in the world and, at 8,013 m , the lowest of the eight-thousanders...
in Tibet becoming the first South East Asian to climb an 8,000-metre peak without supplemental oxygen.
In 2002, he skied to the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
with Arctic guide Paul Landry and a dog named Apu, after failing the previous year due to frostbite on a finger. Khoo becomes the first South East Asian and the fourth person in the world to complete "The Adventure Grand Slam
Explorers Grand Slam
The Explorers Grand Slam or Adventurers Grand Slam is an adventurers challenge to reach the North Pole, the South Pole and all of the Seven Summits....
," that is, the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
, the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
and the Seven Summits. He lost his bid to sail around the world in 2003, as his expedition was canceled due to lack of funding during the SARS outbreak and Iraq War period.
In that same year, he cycled from Singapore to Beijing in 73 days covering 8,066 km. In 2004, Khoo attempted to climb Mount Everest without oxygen but had to turn back 400 metres below the summit due to exhaustion.
On December 5, 2004, he successfully swam the Straits of Malacca from Tanjung Rupat in Indonesia to Port Dickson
Port Dickson
Port Dickson or PD to locals is a beach and holiday destination situated about 32 km from Seremban and 90 km from Kuala Lumpur. It is located in the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia...
, in 22 hours over a distance of 40 km. He had been inspired to perform this feat at the age of six, after watching a Japanese man who was the first man to ever swim across the straits, starting his swim in front of his house. His attempt at swimming the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in the summer of 2005, however, was unsuccessful due to hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
.
On December 25, 2005, Khoo broke the world record for the longest scuba
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
dive done in a controlled environment, in this case in a tank. He stayed in the mineral-water-filled tank at Tampines Central for 220 hours, breaking the record by 7 hours and 30 minutes, surpassing British diver Michael Steven's 1986 record.
On May 23, 2006, together with Malaysian CEO Vincent Loh, age 51, Khoo reached the summit of Mount Everest for a second time, making him the only South East Asian to summit Mt Everest twice.
World records
In December 2005, broke the Guinness World Record of the Longest Scuba Submergence (controlled environment). Khoo spent 220 hours underwater as opposed to the previous record of 212.5 hours. The record was subsequently broken on August 30, 2009 by Cem Karabay and now stands at 240 hours.On January 21, 2008, Khoo completed the World's Longest Journey on Inline Skates by skating from Hanoi, Vietnam to Singapore, a total of 6088 km in 94 days. This is Khoo's second Guinness World Record.. His motto is "Dare To Dream".
Books
In August 2003, Khoo published his first book called Journeys to the Ends of the Earth. His second book Singapore to Beijing on a Bike was published in June 2007.Family
Khoo is married to Wee Leng, she is an adventurer in her own right. She was in the Singapore National Dragon Boat Team, Co-leader of 1st Singapore Team to Eco-Challenge Sabah 2000 and has completed 2 marathons. Wee Leng is the 1st Singaporean woman to climb AconcaguaAconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
(6962m), the highest peak in South America and one of the 7 Summits that Khoo has climbed. Together they have a son and daughter.