Canadian climbing superstar Sean McColl has garnered a truckload of medals in his nine years on the sharp end of a climbing rope. The 19-year-old has won junior worlds three times, including golds in both lead and speed climbing at August’s World Youth Climbing Championships in Imst, Austria. Last weekend, McColl was the only climber to flash the hardest route at the North American Continental Championship in Thornton, earning another gold; he won silver in speed climbing.
What’s your best training technique?
Train with the Euros. They are so much stronger than everyone else. If you strive to do what they do, you get so strong so fast.
What’s your worst injury?
I tore ligaments in my ankle once. But I was playing soccer. I’ve strained tendons in my forearm before, but luckily I’ve never had to stop climbing for more than a week because of injury.
Whom do you admire most?
I can’t say I admire a specific person the most. I admire people who are motivated to climb. Outside, in the gym, wherever. If you love to climb, I’m a fan.
Best advice you ever received?
When you climb your route, it doesn’t matter how well you did on the bottom half or even the last move. Take it one move at a time and take it as high as you can.
You have any favorite music that revs you up for a big climb?
Anything with a really good beat. I tend to tune out everything when I’m on the wall. I tune out everything except what I want to hear. That’s my coach, my friends … and sometimes the roar of the crowd can give me some good motivation.
What do you know now that you didn’t know then?
I’ve been climbing since I was 10, so I guess I know a lot more about rock-climbing. You can make a living climbing. It can be a hobby. It can be a lifestyle. It can be a job. It’s always a fun activity. It has to be fun.
You won both sport and speed climbing at the worlds last summer. Does it take a different approach for each discipline?
Oh, yeah. Sport is more an endurance event and speed is a full-on sprint. Speed is all about getting into a really good rhythm. Sport is about getting into a really strong mind-set.
