Molly Thompson-Smith takes part in BBC’s Young Reporter festival
4 years ago
United Kingdom Molly Thompson-Smith is a professional rock climber, a five-time UK national competition lead climbing champion, and an advocate for diversity, leveraging her platform to promote inclusivity in sports.
Sport climber Molly Thompson-Smith talks through the objects and people who have helped shape her as a woman and athlete of colour.
Molly Thompson-Smith is a team member for Scarpa, a brand for which she pushes her limits in sport climbing and bouldering around her training schedule.
Molly Thompson-Smith is an athlete and ambassador for The North Face, working with the brand to promote diversity in outdoor sports and sharing her climbing journey.
Molly Thompson-Smith is an ambassador for the British Mountaineering Council, supporting its efforts to make climbing more inclusive.
Molly Thompson-Smith was born in London and started climbing at the age of seven after visiting a local sports center. Her parents, both athletes—her mother a netball player and umpire, and her father a former Queens Park Rangers (QPR) youth football player and coach—influenced her early exposure to sports. Despite having options like football, Molly found her passion in climbing, focusing on individual progress rather than competition with peers. She spent a year requesting to join a climbing club due to its popularity and small size, eventually joining their performance squad within a year of being admitted. This early determination set the stage for her career.
Over a decade of experience, Molly has become a prominent figure in British climbing. She has competed in World Cups for ten years and is a five-time UK national competition lead climbing champion. Significant milestones include earning a bronze medal in a World Cup event in 2017. Her career progression has also involved transitioning into commentary, notably for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She has demonstrated resilience, overcoming a significant finger injury and a severe ankle injury in 2022, which required surgery and metal implants. This latter injury, while initially a setback, shifted her perspective and reinforced her commitment to competitive climbing.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Molly is dedicated to promoting diversity in climbing. As an ambassador for the British Mountaineering Council, she has actively worked to address the lack of representation for Black and brown individuals in outdoor sports. She recently partnered with a sponsor to create an allyship course, advocating for meaningful change beyond symbolic gestures. Her goal of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics also serves as a platform for representation, hoping that her presence will inspire younger generations.
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