Two South Dakotans are joining the USA Paraclimbing National Team after medaling at the 2025 Paraclimbing National Championships in Oakland, California.
Paul Martin placed first in his category and Andrea Wilson took second in her category. This was the first time competing at Nationals for both athletes.
“I like a challenge,” said Wilson. “So, it was really fun for me to go into it with limited experience and be willing to take on whatever they throw at you.”
Wilson, who is also a competitive CrossFit athlete, started climbing a little over a year ago.
“I love the feeling of being out of my chair and just controlling my body movement on my own. It’s a real freeing movement for me, to be climbing in that manner,” Wilson said.
As members of the USA Paraclimbing National Team, Wilson and Martin will now represent the country in the Paraclimbing World Cups and World Championships, competing in locations like Seoul, South Korea, Laval, France, and Innsbruck, Austria.
To fund travel and competition expenses, they've each set up individual GoFundMe pages.
Martin, who is an English teacher at the Maȟpíya Lúta high school in Pine Ridge, says he's excited to train and compete in the coming months.
"I grew up in middle school and high school thinking of myself as a nerd," said Martin. "So, I think climbing is really nice where I'm problem solving, but in a way that uses my body to tap into an athleticism that I might not have given myself the opportunity to express otherwise."
You can learn more about Martin's story and competition plans on his GoFundMe page and Wilson's on her GofundMe page.
Both athletes have expressed the goal of earning a spot in the 2028 Paralympic Games in L.A.
