First Woman of Color Completes Solo Expedition In Antarctica

Photo Credit: Sander van der Werf/Shutterstock

A physiotherapist and British army officer became the first woman of color to complete an unsupported expedition to the South Pole.

On Monday, 32-year-old Preet Chandi — who aptly goes by “Polar Preet”on social media — finished her journey in Antarctica, having traveled a whopping 700 miles in a mere 40 days. In an emotional post on her Instagram page, Chandi accompanied a cheerful selfie with the note that she “made it to the South Pole where it's snowing.”

“Feeling so many emotions right now. I knew nothing about the polar world three years ago and it feels so surreal to finally be here. It was tough getting here and I want to thank everybody for their support,” she shared.

The self-proclaimed Nordic skier, ultramarathon runner, and endurance athlete emphasized her “expedition was always about so much more than me” and that she wants “to encourage people to push their boundaries and to believe in themselves, and I want you to be able to do it without being labeled a rebel.”

“I have been told no on many occasions and told to ‘just do the normal thing,’ but we create our own normal. You are capable of anything you want. No matter where you are from or where your start line is, everybody starts somewhere. I don't want to just break the glass ceiling, I want to smash it into a million pieces,” she said, before asking: “Who’s with me?”

Notably, prior to her expedition, Chandi said on her website that she “didn’t know much about” Antarctica when she initially planned to do the trip, which is what propelled her to do it.

“There are only a few female adventurers that have completed a solo, unsupported trek on this continent. It is time to add some more names, diversity and to make history,” she wrote.