17-year-old Ava Hamilton, UK’s Fastest Woman Climber, Targets Olympic Dream

Ava Hamilton, aged 17, holds the title of the UK’s fastest woman in speed climbing. This athletic discipline requires participants to ascend a 15m wall in races lasting only a few seconds; the current world record stands at 4.798 seconds. Speed climbing debuted at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, yet Scotland possesses only a single full-sized facility for the sport. Following her achievement of breaking the UK women’s record this year at the European Championships, with a time of 8.64 seconds, Ava, a native of Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire, advocates for increased accessibility to the sport to encourage wider participation. The previous British woman to establish a speed climbing record was Shauna Coxsey in 2019, achieving a time of 9.1 seconds. “I was really happy but also so relieved,” Ava told BBC Scotland News. “I’d done it quite a few times in practice but not loads, and this was a personal best for me. “You just need to make that time in competition because that means it’s official.” Hamilton aims to surpass her current record, targeting a time under 7.5 seconds within the upcoming year. “I think that’s a very realistic goal in the next few months,” she stated. “And eventually my goal is to make less than seven seconds.” She noted that achieving this would signify a world-class performance. “Although it’s not very long – it’s literally just one second off what I do now – it means so much in speed climbing.” Ava commenced her speed climbing competitive career at the age of 15 and expressed appreciation for her school’s flexibility in allowing her time off for international competitions. Dan Wyatt, the rector of Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow, commended her dedication to the sport. He remarked: “She’s an inspiration to any young person, and a shining example of the dedication and application required to make it in any sport. “The unseen hours in the car, on the wall, completing homework whenever possible, and missing parties and gatherings have all been part of Ava’s journey.” Currently, she aspires to secure a position on Team GB for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. “That’s the massive goal,” she affirmed. “This year I’m focusing on the 2025 season and going from there so hopefully I’ll be on a good trajectory by then.” The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) established standardisation for speed climbing in 2007. “I only remember that because it’s the year I was born,” Ava mentioned. She added that “Tokyo 2020 did wonders for the sport because people could see the speed these climbers were running up the walls and it gained a lot of traction. “It’s a shame it’s not as accessible to the public as other types of climbing, but it’ll get there.” The United Kingdom features three full-sized standardised speed climbing walls, with Scotland’s sole facility located in Edinburgh. Each wall adheres to identical specifications, including precise measurements and materials, incorporating exactly 20 handholds and 11 footholds. Ava collaborated with Above Adventure in Kilmarnock to construct two sections of a speed wall within their rock climbing gym, built to these precise specifications. “It means I can practise every bit individually,” she explained. She commented: “But it’s not a huge thing in the UK so it’s not really funded and most people are self-funded or through private sponsors.” She further expressed: “It would be good to see more people competing in the UK as it’s quite an underdeveloped sport here.” Her participation in international competitions has led her to travel to Austria and South Korea for events. She now intends to attend a three-month training camp in Salt Lake City, US, next year, accompanied by her coach Albert Ok. She anticipates that this experience will enable her to reduce her record time by crucial milliseconds. “I really enjoy training because the improvements are really obvious when you get better,” she stated. “It’s reflected in your time.” She elaborated: “You have to learn every individual move and link them together the best you can, so it’s probably a lot more technical than people might expect.” She concluded: “There’s a lot of problem-solving since you have to work out what’s best for you and if you’re strong enough to do certain moves. I’ve got a lot more in me hopefully.”