Martina Navratilova's Mt. Kilimanjaro climb reaches toughest going yet

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has reached Day 4 of her attempt to summit Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro and is finding the ascent, and the weather, more challenging thus far than she imagined it would be.

Here's an excerpt from Navratilova's most recent post on The Laureus Blog:

The weather is a little better, but the going is getting tougher and tougher. It seems to be constantly steep and as we started to approach the highest point yet, 4,500 metres above sea level, sheer exhaustion sets in for much of the group, and with heavy legs and chests pounding due to a lack of oxygen, every step becomes an effort.

We have two days to go before we reach the summit and the group’s mood is fluctuating between exhaustion and exhilaration. It has been tougher than I imagined, but that is when everyone has come together to support each other.

Navratilova, 54, embarked Monday on her summit attempt of the 19,340-foot Kilimanjaro in an effort to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a charity helping disadvantaged youth worldwide through sports-based projects.

The nine-time Wimbledon champion is joined on the challenge by a group of 27 fundraisers, including German Paralympic cyclist Michael Teuber and British Olympic badminton star Gail Emms.

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Martina Navratilova begins Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

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Photo: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova is encountering snow conditions sooner than she expected during her attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images