THE Olympic torch was at the top of Mount Qomolangma on Thursday, the crowning moment of the Beijing Games torch relay.

Three months to the day before the Games open, members of a 19-strong team reached the top of the 8,848-meter peak at 9 a.m. carrying the Olympic flame in a lantern.

Norbu Zhamdu lit the torch with a specially designed lighter at 9:11 a.m. and the unprecedented six-minute relay concluded at 9:17 a.m.

The relay started with Gyigyi as the first bearer and Wang Yongfeng as the second.

Wang, a member of the backup team, handed the torch to Nyima Cering, captain of the 12-member Attack Team, who shouted “One World, One Dream,” the Beijing Olympic slogan, before passing the flame to Huang Chungui.

The fifth and last torchbearer, Cering Wangmo, stood silently on the peak with her torch while the other 18 team members unfurled the Chinese national flag, the Olympic flag and a flag bearing the Beijing Olympic logo.

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Wangmo’s younger brother Daintar, working for China Central Television which broadcast the flame’s Qomolangma journey live, recorded history with a handycam.

Clustered together at the summit, all 12 members of the Attack Team and seven backup climbers cheered “We made it.” One climber shouted “Long Live Beijing” and another “Beijing welcomes you.” They added “tashi delek,” a Tibetan greeting meaning “may everything be well.”

Climbers, officials and a small team of journalists had to endure thin air at the high altitude, sub-freezing temperatures and basic sanitation, but enjoyed one of the world’s finest views for days before a gap in the weather allowed the final ascent.

The climbing team had been on the mountain for more than a week preparing the route along the north-east ridge.

Nineteen climbers who stayed overnight at the 8,300-meter Attack Camp were woken at around 1 a.m. After a brief ritual to pay respect sto the world’s highest mountain, the first team of climbers started off at 1:30 a.m. and the second team followed at 3:30 a.m.

(SD-Xinhua)