Rising to the top: Canberra’s elite sportswomen

Posted on 19 June, 2019

What does it take for a world champion athlete to get to the top?

For elite sportswomen, it’s not just about breaking barriers of human performance. First, they have to break down the barriers that exist for women in sport.

Breaking down barriers is something 15-year-old Angie Scarth-Johnson knows something about. By day, she’s a Year 9 student. But by night she’s scaling some of Canberra—and the world’s—toughest climbing challenges. Did we mention she broke her first world record at age nine?

“I started climbing when I was quite young,” explains Angie. “My parents aren’t climbers so a lot of the issues I had weren’t around fear, they were around not knowing what I was doing.”

But that doesn’t mean that Angie gave up. Instead, she says it made her reach out of her comfort zone and seek help elsewhere.

“It helped me grow and learn, in a way, because I wasn’t given things easily when I started climbing, because I had to learn how to go it on my own. Everything I know was learned from my friends or by myself.”

“When I started, I met a bunch of guys climbing at my local gym, so it was never kids my age. So I hung out with these 30-year-old’s learning how to climb when I was seven years old…they would help me out and they took me out on my first outdoor climbing trip.”

However, when asked what she would say to those who see climbing as a ‘guys’ sport’, Angie just laughs

“I would completely disagree,” she says. “I have had a few people say that to me and I’ve had people tell me I should be doing netball instead of climbing [but] I think I’d say that there’s no such thing [as a guy’s sport] or a ‘guy’ anything or a ‘girl’ anything.”

Recently, Angie was the subject of documentary Pacific Lines, which chronicled her journey to Tonga, where she climbed a rugged cliff that had never been traversed before, even drilling her own bolts in the cliff face.

But now she’s on to a new challenge. In three weeks, Angie will depart for Italy for the IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships where she will compete in bouldering, speed climbing and lead climbing—all precursors to her qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Another sportswoman for whom breaking barriers is a regular occurrence is 20-year-old Paralympian Sarah Walsh. Like Angie, the para-athlete also training for the World Championships which are set to take her to Japan later this year. And from there, her sights are set on the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Having worn a prosthetic leg since 18 months of age, Sarah says she “doesn’t know any different” when it comes to her mobility and capability.

“It meant I was able to grow up like any kid would and was able to get out there and be active. Growing up I was involved in all different sports, but it wasn’t until I was around 10-years-old that I found track and field and absolutely fell in love with the long jump.”

From there, Sarah went on to represent Australia at the World Championships and Paralympic Games and says that if she can do it, so can anyone.

Sarah Walsh

“For me, the highlight of my career so far would definitely be competing at the Rio Paralympics in 2016. I remember watching the Beijing Paralympics on the TV back in 2008 and saying to my parents that one day I wanted to go and represent Australia in the Paralympic Games.

“As clichéd as it sounds, it was a dream come true…[but] anything is possible if you set your mind to doing something. You can follow through with your dreams and goals and one day, as long as the road may be or as hard as it might be, you’ll get there.”

BE INSPIRED BY INCREDIBLE FEMALE ATHLETES

Women In Sport: Rising To The Top will be a live Q&A with some of Australia’s most formidable sportswomen and will take place this Saturday 22 June at Canberra Centre.

Together, Marianna Tolo (basketball), Kim Brennan (rowing), Angie Scarth – Johnson (climbing), Sarah Walsh (Para-athletics) and Carly Wilson (basketball) will pull back the curtain on the grit, determination and dedication it takes to reach elite levels in one’s chosen sport.

the essentials

What: Women in Sport: Rising to the top – Live Q&A
When: Saturday 22 June from 11 am – 12 pm
Where: Canberra Centre
Tickets: $20 (includes gift bag with $20 Canberra Centre voucher, complementary drink on arrival and grazing platter)
Website: canberracentre.com.au/play/events/women-in-sport-panel