WILL WANTS GAMES SUCCESS TO INSPIRE MORE SPORT CLIMBERS
Will Ruane hopes an Olympic gold medal for Team GB can inspire growth in the sport of climbing, even if it makes competition tougher.
Last year, Matt Hampson Foundation beneficiary Will won a British paraclimbing title and recently recorded a top-10 finish in his World Cup debut in Innsbruck.
With his national title defence approaching in September, he kept a close eye on climbing at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer, especially as it included a first-ever gold-medal win by a British competitor.
Back in 1992, Chris Boardman’s track gold medal helped to kickstart a UK cycling revolution subsequently boosted by the successes at the Games of Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy, and Jason and Laura Kenny among others, while participation numbers in sports including swimming and athletics can expect a boost around an Olympic cycle.
Now Will says the success of 19-year-old Toby Roberts, who won the combined classification in the climbing competition in Paris, can only help increase interest in the sport.
“It was amazing watching him win – it makes you very proud of the team,” said Will.
“Without a doubt, his success can be good for the sport in this country.
“Climbing just got into the Games for Tokyo [in 2020/21] so this is only its second time around. But it’s definitely growing.
“You can see the number of climbing centres around now and, from my perspective, it is so inclusive as a sport – I can go to a climbing wall the same as anyone else.”
After competing in the Hambo Throwdown – a functional fitness event exclusively for wheelchair users organised by the Foundation in August – Leeds-based Will switches his attention to preparation for his British title defence in September.
“The Lead, Speed, Boulder and Para British National Championships are all happening at the same time in Edinburgh which is really good because we’ll have a lot of Team GB climbers there and it’s nice to be on the same stage,” he said.
“There will be difficult walls and good routes, and last year it was live-streamed which was pretty cool.”
He heads north armed with experience of a World Cup debut earlier this summer and the inspiration gained from working alongside the best in the sport.
“I loved the whole World Cup experience,” he said. “If I could sum it up in one word, it would be ‘motivating’.
“To compete on the same routes as the best in the world in my category and see how they climb is really motivating me to improve my standard and get more competitive.”
Will is part of the Tindall Athlete Development Programme at the Matt Hampson Foundation. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, click here.
