Scottish teenager is UK's fastest woman climber

A Scottish 17-year-old is the fastest woman climber in the UK.

Speed climbing involves climbing up a 15m wall as quickly as possible – with the current world record time standing at just 4.798 seconds.

It was officially declared an Olympic sport for the first time at Tokyo 2020, appearing again at Paris 2024.

Ava Hamilton, from Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, broke the UK’s women’s national speed climbing record at the European Championships in Switzerland this summer, setting a new time of 8.64.

Ava Hamilton is aiming for a new speed of under 7.5 seconds. Story Shop via Supplied

The teen, who recently left Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow to focus on climbing full-time, is aiming for Los Angeles and hopes to secure a spot on Team GB at the 2028 Olympic Games.

Dan Wyatt, Ava’s old rector at Kelvinside Academy, in Glasgow’s West End, said that the teenager is an “inspiration”.

“Ava is a phenomenally talented young athlete, and like all in her position, she has had to make sacrifices to achieve her dreams – which is not easy at such a young age,” he said.

As there is only one full size 15m speed wall in the UK – in Ratho – Ava is preparing to travel to the USA in the New Year for a three-month training camp in Salt Lake City.

She’ll be under the tutelage of legendary US-based coach Albert Ok, known as The Professor, who has guided many athletes to the Olympics.

“So many of the world’s best speed climbers are in the US and coached by Albert,” Ava said.

“This is how I’ll make it to the next level and I can’t wait to see how I can improve.

Ava works two jobs in the hope of getting herself to the Olympics in 2028. Story Shop via Supplied

“There have been tough moments for sure, when my friends were going out or doing things in the evening, and I had to train, and it was hard to find a balance. It’s reached the point where it all feels totally worth it.

“My friends and family are so supportive of what I’m doing, and proud of it, and these are the choices you have to make if you’re serious about becoming a top-level athlete.”

Ava, who started climbing at just seven years old, faces other challenges in her aim to go below the 7.5-second climbing barrier – what she considers “world-class”.

Like most climbers in the UK yet to compete at the Olympics, she has to self-fund to compete and train, meaning a significant investment of hours and money from her and her family.

Despite working two jobs and receiving £2,000 from the Gordon Brown Memorial Fund – covering half of the money she needs for the USA camp – the young athlete is also on the lookout for further opportunities as her climbing commitments grow – while aiming to attend the University of Edinburgh next year.

Ava said: “I work and save, and my parents help a lot, especially when I was younger, but sometimes it is difficult to know where the money to compete will come from.

“The support from the Gordon Brown Memorial Fund has been a big help, but the costs involved in speed climbing are so high, especially around travel expenses. I’m looking for further sponsorship, but self-funding is the only choice I have at present. I love the sport so much and am at a really important stage, so I always find a way.

“There are some countries that are much further ahead than the UK, and funding is far easier to come by. That’s not the case here – you need to self-fund, or find sponsorship, or both, but I know we’ll catch up in future. The sport is growing so quickly.

“There’s a lot that I want to achieve – in climbing and out. However, the truly important thing is to enjoy myself, and the place I do that most is on the climbing wall.”