Wokingham teenager Reuben Hayward has been selected to represent Great Britain in climbing at international competitions.
Reuben, who is a pupil at St Crispin’s School, will represent GB in five or six European competitions this year across both boulder and lead disciplines.
He started his climbing journey six years ago at Oakwood Climbing Centre on Waterloo Road, where he still trains regularly.
On his crowdfunder page, Reuben said: “Climbing has been my passion since I first scaled a climbing wall at nine years old. What started as a fun challenge quickly became a way of life, and now, I train over 20 hours a week alongside studying towards my GCSE’s.
“My ultimate dream is to represent Great Britain on the senior climbing World Cup circuit—and one day, at the 2032 Olympics! This year, I’ve taken a huge step toward that goal by earning a spot on the GB Team for European Youth competitions in both Boulder and Lead disciplines.
Training and competing at this level comes with significant costs—over £10,000 for the year—which is beyond what my family can manage alone. In previous years, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to receive support from a couple of local charities and Sport England’s SportsAid ‘Backing The Best’ scheme. Their help has been invaluable in getting me to this stage.
“Despite my biggest achievements yet, I don’t have the same funding in place this year. With more competitions, higher costs, and bigger opportunities ahead, I’m looking for support to continue pursuing my dream.
For more information about Reuben’s journey or to donate, visit: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/reubenclimbs
