Hi Erin, congratulations on qualifying for the Olympics - looking back to the start of qualifying did you think this was possible?
When I qualified for the Olympic Qualifier Series, the goal was always to get selected for the Olympics. I believed that maybe it was possible, but it would be extremely close. The two podiums have filled me with confidence and hope for the Olympics and the remainder of this season. I am so happy that all the work has paid off.
You performed amazingly in the last 2 qualifiers, how did it feel to get on the podium at such an important time?
It felt absolutely amazing to say the least. In the first comp, I was so shocked to get bronze. It is my first ever international podium, and for it to be at an Olympic selection event felt insane. The second bronze was also shocking but I guess in a different way, as I hadn’t been expecting to get two consecutively.
How did confirming qualification for the Olympics feel?
Going into the comp, I put the Olympics out of my mind. I wanted to make another finals, that was my goal. When I made finals, I was unbelievably happy. I had achieved my goal and I had an Olympic ticket. Getting to celebrate by climbing one final round was perfect and it was great practise for the Olympics.
You've got around a month to go before the Olympics what is your plan for preparing?
I’ve decided that I’m going to skip the next few word cups, so my next competition will be the Olympic Games. Although I’m happy with my recent performances, me and my coaches have noticed some weaknesses in both my boulder and lead. I will take the time to train these and go into the Olympics feeing confident that I am the best I’ve ever been.
What are your aims for the games?
I want to try as hard as I can and enjoy every second of the whole experience. I don’t really have any result goals. I just want to focus on bringing out my best performance and hopefully the result will come.
What are your plans for the next year/ post games?
After the Olympics, I would like to attend the European Championships and the rest of the World Cup season. I have only just started achieving these sort of results, so I want to carry on and see what I can do. Next year will hopefully be much of the same, I want to get as much World Cup experience as possible.
Hi Molly, congratulations on qualifying for the Olympics - looking back to the start of qualifying did you think this was possible?
Thank you! It was a long qualification process, and I constantly flipped between feeling confident that I could grab a ticket to Paris, and also thinking there was no way I'd make it into the select few.
How did confirming qualification for the Olympics feel?
Honestly pretty hard to describe! There were so many feelings and emotions that had been bottled up over the last few years; the journey to Paris didn't just start at the end of the Tokyo Olympics, but even before then as a little girl watching it on TV and more realistically when climbing's Olympic bid became successful in 2016.
You've got around a month to go before the Olympics what is your plan for preparing?
I decided to spend this month at home to be back in my comfort zone after a mentally and physically exhausting few months. I'll keep topping up my endurance and boulder skills in the mean time but mainly try to stay healthy and happy!
What are you most looking forward to in Paris?
I'm excited to be part of a huge multi-sports event, and one I have been a fan of for as long as I can remember. It will be amazing to represent all of the people who supported and believed in me and this journey, and I hope I'm able to make them proud.
What are your aims for the games?
To completely soak in the experience and enjoy it! It's been a lifelong dream and it's such a unique experience so I want to maximise this and have as much fun as possible! Of course I'd like to climb my best to and hopefully have a performance that really showcases the last almost 20 years of hard work and dedication to the sport.
