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SALT LAKE CITY — Although he is young, an 18-year-old Utahn is making a name for himself in the climbing world.
Salt Lake City resident Nathaniel Coleman said he has been rock climbing since he was 9 years old. Coleman said he went to one of his friend’s climbing practices and loved it. Since then, he’s been hooked and joined the Momentum Indoor Climbing youth league.
Momentum Climbing Team head coach and trainer Kyle O’Meara said he has about 32 kids from ages 8-18 who climb at Momentum, but only those who demonstrate a certain level of talent and drive compete on the competitive team.
“Most of the kids on our team are pretty high-level athletes and really good climbers and most of them do really well in our youth circuit,” O’Meara said. “Most of them are at least making it through the regional competition, if not competing on the national level.”
Coleman excelled at the youth competitions, eventually earning a spot competing on the U.S. adult climbing team. At 17, he competed in the 2014 International Federation of Sport Climbing World Cup in Vail, Colorado, where he took 22nd place. In 2015, he again qualified and competed at the Bouldering World Cup in Toronto, Canada, on May 29-30, where he took second place.
“I was expecting to do better than last year,” Coleman said. “I would have never dreamed to do this well.”
Coleman advanced to the next Bouldering World Cup held again in Vail on June 5-6, where he again took second place. With his recent victories, Coleman is currently ranked ninth in the world for men’s bouldering, according to the International Federation of Sport Climbing website.
Max Robertson
Despite his young age, Coleman said he now feels confident competing against the best climbers in the world.
“I felt like it was intimidating until I feel like I kind of proved myself at Toronto and Vail,” Coleman said. “So now I feel like I belong in the world cups.”
O’Meara said climbing teaches his athletes to have patience and how to work hard, and he’s seen Coleman improve mentally and physically during the last year.
“I think he’s kind of learned a lot about what he really truly loves about climbing,” O’Meara said. “He’s really kind of got this new mental perspective where he really just understands what he wants to get out of his experience with climbing. I’ve seen him kind of branch into enjoying climbing outside a little bit more than he used to and not just being an indoor competition climber.”
Coleman plans to compete in the final three bouldering world cups in Chongqing, China, and Munich, Germany, and O’Meara said he couldn’t be more proud of him.
“I think it’s really cool to see him reaching toward his potential like this,” O’Meara said. “I think he’s the perfect person to be representing our country and he has something that not many climbers have.”
