..............

Meet Es!
..............

Hi, my name is Es and I am a para-climber currently competing for Team GB. 

Between 2014 and 2016, I was ranked World Number 3 before taking a break to care for my mother. Now, I’m back! In 2024, I placed second at the British Championships.

I have been a dedicated user of Flare Audio products for years from the original Calmer to the current Calmer 2 prototype.

My ultimate goal is to win the first Paralympic gold medal in climbing at LA28.

..............

My climbing journey: From Play to Podium

..............

I got into climbing when I was 7. Our dad had to live separately from us for 6 months because of his job and when he asked his colleagues for ideas on what would be a fun way to spend some time with me in the area, one of them suggested the local climbing facility and I fell in love - I ended up instructing there for 5 years.

This isn't my first time competing for GB Climbing. I was on the team from 2012 to 2014, but retired to take care of my mother who had dementia. Competing with the GB Climbing Team is a lot of fun but can be quite intense too. I get to train for the sport I love. I get to travel to compete and I also get to meet and climb with some really cool people. At the same time there is underlying pressure for performance that when I competed before I wasn't very good at managing, but I feel a lot better equipped mentally to deal with this now.

..............

External Stressors and the Calmer effect

..............

I am autistic and can find sensory input overstimulating especially if it's complex and the effect compounds over time. The environment is a big factor for me that affects my mindset - as I can't change the environment inside the training/competition venue it then has to be managed on my part. 

In day-to-day life I wear Calmer.

In competition I wear Calmer Performance.

The Flare Calmer products work for me by getting rid of this buzz that I don't really notice with them in; but without them in it's like all the sounds have lint on them and it takes far longer to recover from being in an environment with complex sounds. They make training/competing at the gym and in climbing wall not just manageable but enjoyable.

I also use earplugs (I keep a pair in my pocket and extras in my bags and chalk bag at all times) and/or ear defenders as required to either create my own private zone or detune the sensory input as required.

..............

Mind over matter: The climb in my head?

..............

Mindset is a big factor of my training right now, it is something I've been working with with my coach. 

When it comes to mental strategies that I use during the competition: I allocate a certain amount of time in which I can dwell on the prior climb, before I clear it and move all my concentration to my next route. 

During training: it's about maximum effort and belief you'll make the move, even when all the evidence points to the contrary - this is somewhat of a work in progress for myself. I keep a specific session or two a week for playing and fun on the wall because motivation and wanting to get to training is important when it comes to success.

When I lost my leg in 2010 I didn't know I'd be able to climb again. The doctors and the physios didn't know whether people missing a leg could climb either. When I had my stroke in 2022 I didn't know if I'd be able to climb again. I have taught hundreds of people to climb who didn't believe they'd be able to climb. You're an athlete - athletes are doing things that people didn't think could be done all the time. Put the work in, keep educating yourself, find what works for you, and (most importantly) have fun.

A standout moment for me was when I came 3rd at the Gijon 2014 World Championships. Adam Ondra was at the presentation ceremony (a big deal in the climbing world) – he told me he thought I was an inspiration and all I was thinking was “dude, same!”.