ReVentas engineering director, Joanna Newton, has competed at the Paraclimbing World Championships 2023.
Joanna shares her experience below:
It was again a privilege to pull on my GB vest and represent Great Britain at the Paraclimbing World Championships, held this summer in Bern, Switzerland. Despite tearing a hamstring muscle in my good leg on the second qualifier route, I still climbed well enough to make finals. Finals at the World Championships!
However, my injury meant that I could no longer walk properly and I had no idea if I could still climb. After a long discussion with the GB Team coaches and physio, I decided to compete in the Finals anyway, promising to climb within an imaginary box and just let go if I had to step my leg outside this imagined box. So, with my leg fully strapped along its whole length in bright pink K tape, I stepped back on to the stage and pulled on to the 40 degree overhang of the Finals route, finishing just one move off third place and without injuring myself any further.
A podium position was so close but mainly I was really pleased with how well-controlled I climbed, and the team physio and coaches were pleased as well! It was an excellent event with a real buzz and the largest number of competing athletes of any Paraclimbing competition to date.
The competition season has now ended for this year, so I’m having a recovery break before picking up again with my training schedule for next year’s three World Cups. Thank you as ever to ReVentas for all your support.
