Brit girl, 17, becomes youngest person to reach the South Pole

London, January 09 (ANI): Katie Walter, a 17-year-old British girl, has become the youngest person to reach the South Pole.

The teenager reached her destination on December 31, after trekking a 112-mile stretch across the Antarctic wilderness.

In the process, she has broken the record set five years ago by Sarah McNair-Landry, an 18-year-old Canadian.

"It was a very good time for a celebration. It wasn't doing it to be the youngest person - that was a bonus ball," Times Online quoted her as saying.

She added: "I think it makes no difference, because it's a personal achievement. It wasn't about 'I'm the youngest', it was about me challenging myself. It was hard, but if it wasn't, more people would do it."

Walter followed a strict training regime, which involved dragging car tyres over long distances, to accomplish the feat.

She said: "It's a strange feeling. All the exercise had a goal - I'm pulling this tyre to get to the pole. I'm not sure what I'm going to do on Sunday."

Walter even had to recover from tonsillitis at the beginning of the trip, but she never looked back.

She said: "By the end I had repetitive strain, but you ignore it and think, 'I'm going to get there'. It's quite interesting how much the body can take.

"I was thinking, 'Of all the times to get ill'. But there was never a thought I wasn't going on.

"It's all about keeping the balls up in the air. I'm not going to lie - it's been a struggle at times.

"There are times when you think there is no one around you for 100 miles. It's a very strange feeling. It made me feel very humble.

"I really loved it. You're on your own, being happy. There's no one to worry about - it's up to you." (ANI)