At 45, Steve found a new passion in an unexpected place — high on a climbing wall. Diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) when he was 17, Steve never imagined that sport would remain such a core part of his life. Now, as a member of the GB Paraclimbing Team, he’s proving just how far determination can take you.
“I didn’t know I could do rock climbing with my FSHD. Now I’m training for the Paralympics.”
Sport has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up playing football and carried on for as long as I could. But over time, it became harder and harder to keep up with the physical demands, and eventually I had to stop playing.
I never imagined I’d find something that could replace that feeling—until I walked past a climbing wall one day in October 2023. It looked like fun, so I gave it a go. I never expected to be preparing for the 2028 Paralympics two years later.
Discovering Paraclimbing
Not long after I started climbing for fun, I began looking into whether there was a competitive route available. I found the UK Paraclimbing Collective and they connected me with someone from the GB climbing team. From there, I started driving to Bristol once a month to attend social climbs for disabled people.
I was hooked straight away. The people were welcoming, the challenges endless, and the feeling of scaling walls, solving each climb — it gave me something I hadn’t felt in years.
Becoming part of Team GB
In September 2024, I entered the GB Nationals in Scotland. I didn’t know what to expect, but I gave it everything. A few months later, in January 2025, I was invited to a benchmarking event to see if I had enough potential. By February, I was officially part of the GB Paraclimbing Team.
The process was pretty straightforward. As long as you have a classifiable condition and you’re willing to push yourself (within your limits) there’s a real opportunity to compete. What’s made it even better is how supportive the team has been. Everyone is in it together, and that sense of community is massive.
Climbing helps more than just my body
What I love most about climbing is the constant challenge. No two routes are ever the same. There are always new holds, new moves, new problems to solve. I love testing myself and seeing progress. There’s always a harder climb, always something more to work toward.
Physically, climbing has made me stronger in ways that feel sustainable. It helps me condition my body and work the muscles I still have, but without the joint strain I might get from running or lifting weights. Mentally, it’s just as powerful. When I’m on the wall, everything else fades away. It’s just me and the next hold.
Austria and beyond
I recently got back from competing in my first World Cup event in Austria. It was an incredible experience. I never thought I’d find myself competing on an international stage, but here we are.
I’m looking ahead now and setting myself pretty ambitious goals. Paraclimbing is going to be part of the next Paralympics in 2028, and I’m hoping to reach a level where I could be in with a chance of competing. It’s a huge ambition — but so was just climbing my local wall when I first started.
Your passion is out there
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that opportunities are out there, you just have to be willing to take that first step. Whether it’s climbing, painting, music, business… whatever it is, lean into it. Find your people. Surround yourself with those who share your energy and support your goals. It may even lead to something unexpected!
In my case, my hobby has led me to starting ClimbCare; my own skincare company for climbers. This is something that I wouldn’t have even thought about before I started climbing. I’m now working doing something I’m passionate about and aligns with my long-term goals. The business is doing very well, and our products can now be found in climbing gyms up and down the country.
