Martin Heald has represented his country in the sports of climbing and football.
MARTIN HEALD should be an inspiration to anyone who has ever had a sporting dream or ambition. He only started climbing five years ago and despite being an amputee has made incredible progress. He has represented the GB paraclimbing team for the last two years and last year became a British champion in his climbing category.
In this interview Martin talks more about his passion for the sport as well as his achievements as a footballer.
Read on to find out what he’s currently training for and get a taste of his willingness to throw himself into any sporting challenge that comes his way.
When did your passion for climbing begin and who were your biggest supporters and mentors at the beginning?
My passion for climbing all started about five years ago when a colleague from work asked if I wanted to go climbing, I went and absolutely loved it!
It didn’t take me long to then go out and buy my first pair of climbing shoes! My biggest supporters have always been my family, who will support me through whatever I decide to do! (apart from buying a van… they don’t want me to buy a van).
My main mentors at the beginning were probably the guys from the GB paraclimbing team, its where I wanted to be and the only way to get better was to learn from them/copy their technique (sorry Phill).
Martin started climbing five years ago.
How hard was it to stay focused and persevere with your sporting dreams after you had your leg amputated?
I didn’t really have any sporting dreams before I had my leg amputated, but after it just felt right to push myself and enjoy life. Obviously without such a supportive family I wouldn’t be where I am today.
What have been some of your biggest climbing accomplishments to date?
I think the my biggest and the main thing that pops up currently was becoming British champion in my category (AL2) last year! Hopefully this is something I can retain this year
Bouldering 7b outside is also a little accomplishment for me and also a milestone in my climbing, I’ve always wanted to improve and push my grades. I always saw 7b as a grade I would like to get to and now I have got it I’m wanting to push the next!
Last year Martin was British champion in his climbing category.
When did you first get selected to represent Team GB and how proud does it make you feel to represent your country? Where in the world has the sport taken you?
I am now in my second year with the GB team, it’s an achievement you can’t not be proud of! The sport has taken me to so many places already, including Italy, Austria and France, some places that I would have never even thought about going on Holiday or if I had never found climbing. I didn’t even know Font even existed, that’s not fair on any person!
Representing Team GB is something Martin is very proud of.
Tell us about your passion for football and some of your achievements in the sport?
I have played amputee football for England for ten years now! Unfortunately, unlike climbing we have to self-fund our trips away to tournaments but my passion for football is just as big as it is for climbing, I have met lots of people and I have also been fortunate enough to travel all over the world playing the sport. We recently won the Amp Polka Cup last month in Warsaw, beating Poland in the final! It was a warm up tournament for the euros later on this year in Turkey.
How have you been involved in getting those with disabilities and other amputees to get more active and realise their sporting ambitions?
Both sports I do aren’t massively known by many, able bodied or disabled. The best thing we can do at the moment is promote the sports, make people aware that they exist and that they are available to everyone!
What exciting plans, projects or competitions do you have coming up during the rest of the year and beyond?
I have a very busy year this year! The climbing world cup competitions start this weekend (8th July) in Imst. Austria, I then go out to Briancon, France a few weeks later for the second comp! A trip out to Barcelona for a little holiday (Obviously popping into Sharmas for a climb!). September sees the start of the Paraclimbing nationals (which run monthly until December all over the country) and also another WC round, both in Edinburgh! The Amputee football European Championships in October and then a possible trip to Bangalor, India in December!
Then rest… and it all starts again! (hopefully)
I am hoping to get back out to font next year and one day get out to Magic wood!
