Rock Climbing Champion Comes to MIS 

By Uma R. and Anintika B., Grade 9

“Believe in yourself, believe in your dreams, and believe that you’re strong,” said famed athlete, Hannah Meul. 

On the 15^th of January 2022 IFSC silver medal champion, Hannah Meul, visited MIS. As many students may know by now, the Wall of Will mural constructed in the FAB, depicts powerful female athletes, including Hannah Meul herself. Meul specializes in the sport of rock climbing, and has recently won a silver medal, and narrowly missed the chance of competing in the 2020 Olympics. A small group of 9th grade journalists interviewed Meul to delve deeper into her life as a professional female athlete. 

“With such a diverse sport you always have new movements and goals. It never gets boring,” replied Hannah Meul. 

One of the first questions we asked her was why she chose to go into the elusive sport of rock climbing over the more traditional athletic forms. Her answer came swiftly, going in depth about the diversity of the sport. She said the multifaceted nature of rock climbing opened a myriad of new opportunities for her, making sure it never got dull. It was always challenging, inspiring her to stay motivated and focused. 

“I think for female athletes especially in rock climbing, the biggest challenge is the belief from outside,” Hannah M. said. “Others don’t see your strength. I guess along the way I had a lot of doubts, but I knew I could do it.” 

Additionally, Meul expressed her ideas concerning what she thought the biggest challenge for female athletes was and how they personally related to her. The main problem is the sexism normalized in women’s sports, and the dubiety from others whether or not she would be able to succeed. Many people believed that she was not strong enough for a sport as taxing as rock climbing, simply because of her gender. Meul said that the only way to really fight against skepticism is to build an inner resilience and truly believe in yourself. 

“I usually train 5 times a week, sometimes with double sessions,” Hannah Meul mentioned. 

Especially for such a strenuous sport as rock climbing, our curiousity was sparked regarding her training and preparations. Meul’s answer was intense, fully emphasizing her determination, grit and hard work. Meul starts off the day early, waking up at around 8:00, and has breakfast, followed by going to the gym to start exercising. As mentioned in the quote above, Meul trains 5 times a week, with 7 to 8 sessions in total. The rock-climbing athlete explores a variety of exercise, such as warming up, stretching, yoga and strength training in general. Meul stated that these combinations are vital, as every rock climber has to have a healthy balance of flexibility and strength. 

Furthermore, Hannah Meul also shared some of her pre-competition rituals. Contrasting with her harsh training schedules, she likes to simply relax and do things she enjoys before a competition. She likes to curl her hair, and probably the most important thing, paint her nails. “It’s a sort of superpower,” she joked, referring to the fact that the pop of colour allowed her to keep focus on her hands rather than any anxiety she might feel. These sorts of rituals are often not what people expect from hardened athletes, but through this Meul proves that there is power in the feminine. Pursuing sport does not mean having to sacrifice any traditionally “girlish” qualities, such as caring for one’s appearance. Female athletes can do anything that male athletes can. 

Read all Our Stories About the Wall of Will

First Impressions of MIS Female Athletes

When the Wall was constructed, it was especially important for us to collect the first impressions of the people who saw it. Especially, the female athletes of MIS, who were chosen by Sports Illustrated magazine to give their account of the Wall.

Erfolge, Herausforderungen und Rituale einer Profifußballerin

Giulia Gwinn, Abwehrspielerin des FC Bayern, betont die Bedeutung harter Arbeit, Sichtbarkeit und Anerkennung im männerdominierten Sport sowie ihre täglichen Trainings- und Regenerationsroutinen.
„Ich habe mit Jungs angefangen und war immer das einzige Mädchen und das war auch nie mal ganz leicht, weil natürlich viele Sprüche kommen“, sagte Gwinn.

Katharina Isele Shares her Journey and Challenges as a Female Athlete.

“Lifting weights is not only being strong in the gym, but it’s also the feeling that I’m capable of everything,” said famed athlete, Katharina Isele. 

Isele emphasized the mental and physical empowerment from weightlifting, the need for more female role models, and her rigorous daily training routine. Her pre-competition rituals and goal to reclaim her title in 2025 highlight her dedication and resilience.

Sports Illustrated Films at MIS

Imagine this: A world-famous sports company comes to your school to film a documentary that potentially millions of people might see. That’s what happened at MIS when Sports Illustrated came, and I got to experience it first-hand. Let me tell you about it.

Our Instagram with the Wall of Will articles and more @buchhofbulletin