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National Team

Para

Jeremy Ritchie

  • Lead

Born 1986LondonThe Junction Climbing Centre

Biography

A below left knee amputee for 35 years, due to a lawnmower accident when I was 4 years old. from just south of London, Ontario. I grew up in rural Ontario bmx biking and playing soccer, where nearly scored a goal, but lost my prosthetic leg in the process. I’ve been climbing for 14 plus years, starting at an entrainment facility, till we finally had our own climbing gym in 2014. I started competing in 2021 at the Ifsc paraclimbing World Cup in Los Angeles. My recent accomplishments are silver at last years paraclimbing local in Whitby, finals(4th place) ant our inaugural Canadian paraclimbing nationals 2025 in Montreal, Quebec and top 10(9th) at the recent international World Cup in Laval, France.

Achievements

  • Silver at the first ontario climbing federation sanctioned paraclimbing competition in 2024.
  • Finals at the first Cec paraclimbing national
  • Top 10(9th) at the Ifsc paraclimbing World Cup in Laval, france

In their words

How did you get into climbing?

I guess I have always been climbing everything in sight, from haylofts to trees to roofs. It wasn’t till I went to Fleetway entertainment centre where I laid eyes on the first artificial climbing wall. It was a 40 foot high, concrete texture wall with 8 autobelays. I learned a lot about endurance there, because I had my regular walking foot and sneakers, which made it nearly impossible to use my prosthetic leg, let alone the fact that you could only climb in 15 minute sessions. Now I climb and as much as possible and consume all the climbing content

What do you enjoy doing outside of training?

I enjoy helping out on the farm, driving tractors and working the land.

I’ve always been handy, so enjoy building things, like a 12 foot high training shed , with a 8 foot 10 degree wall on one side and a campus board adjacent to its. Now I’ve moved and am working on a setup in a hay loft, where I have built a 16 foot campus ladder and soon to construct a spray wall. I’ve also created my own climbing holds and hangboards.

I fix sewing machines, when I can

What drives you to compete and excel in climbing?

I’ve always found it hard to excel in conventional sports. It wasn’t till I started climbing, that I felt like I belonged. I’ve also been a numbers guy. So, climbing fit that with grading. Seeing the completion of higher grades feeds my statistical mind. There’s also the drive to prove to myself that I can compete on the highest stages and face my fears of failures and social situations.

— Jeremy

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