Northcliff High represents South Africa in speed climbing
The excitement is over the roof for these two stars.
Two Northcliff High School rock climbing team members were chosen to represent South Africa at the 2023 Youth World Championships after competing in the National Selection event.
Michael McGowan (17), the captain of the climbing team, and Morgan Atkinson (15) were chosen after finishing second in their respective age groups in the speed category.
“Right now, I have a mixture of feelings such as nerves and excitement although it’s one of the most difficult competitions. You got to keep trying and try your best to win. My usual quote is ‘If you don’t plan, you plan to fail’. I’m training and planning how I’m going to win and creating that positive image,” said Morgan.
Michael added, “I feel thrilled to compete and experience a new environment. Of course, I am nervous but I have such great support from my family, friends, and coaches. I am honoured to be representing our country and I am very grateful for this opportunity.”
For these athletes, getting the chance to compete against the best in the nation was a dream come true. They will be stretched beyond their comfort zones and faced with challenges they have never encountered before. They are eager to compare themselves to their rivals and discover what they can pick up from them.
“The challenge that I come across as their coach is time to prepare. Coping with schoolwork and climbing training is a very tough thing for them to do. Maintaining their psych for training when times get tough and tiredness becomes a problem for these athletes. Variety in different styles of climbing is also a challenge as we do not have a large number of gyms to train in and as a result, different styles of climbing are challenging to find,” said their coach Devin Sender.
The president of the Gauteng climbing team Allister Fenton said the championships were a gathering of the best young climbers from around the world, and South Africa was excited to send athletes to represent their country on the international stage.
The championships will be held from August 18 to 29 in Seoul, South Korea.
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