I’m off to the Olympics and it’s fair to say I am over the moon, overjoyed and overwhelmed by how good it feels.
After not qualifying for Tokyo three years ago, it has been a long journey to get to this stage, through injuries, doubts and ups and downs in form and fitness.
But I got over the line. I have wanted to be part of the Games since I was a little girl so there is such excitement among my friends and family that I will be in Paris.
I found out I had made it at the second Olympic qualifying event in Budapest. That was my last shot at making it to this summer’s Games and it was an incredibly intense few days.
Your total number of points from events in Budapest and Shanghai were added up and I finished 13th – one place off making the cut.
However, due to Japan maxing out their country’s quota for Paris, I was given the golden ticket.
Budapest was a rollercoaster experience; the bouldering round was brutal and with such low points across the board, there was a lot of work to do to make up the gap. My coach did her best to pick me up but after that start we could both feel my optimism diminishing.
So I went to my parents and my boyfriend who were there in Budapest to support me. It’s been over a decade since I had my mum and dad physically behind me at a competition and being able to spend some time with them before heading back into isolation left me feeling grateful and inspired (and a little emotional!).
They told me how proud they were and reminded me of all the obstacles and challenges in my way on the road to the Olympics.
When I fractured and dislocated my ankle at the end of 2022 I had feared the worst and believed the Paris dream was over. But somehow I turned the fear and pain into motivation. I managed to clear my head and find a mixture of flow and determination I’d not been able to tap into for a while and had a fight on the lead wall I’m truly proud of.
In all honesty, it was a bit of a strange experience finding out I’d qualified, because the competition was ongoing I had to wait until the following day for confirmation that I had my ticket but myself and friends back home had done the ‘maths’!
I had plans to do a few more competitions after the qualifier but realised soon after that what I really wanted was as go home and see everyone and get back to my routines before Paris. So me and my partner started the long drive back to the UK! Our three-day epic tour across Europe certainly brought me back to reality but was completely worth it when I got back and was taken to the pub where so many of my friends had come to surprise me. They had arranged for me to be one of the answers in our local pub’s quiz, which started to make the whole thing feel a little bit real.
Now I can’t wait to get into the athletes’ village in France and be around other competitors. Going to a Games has been a goal for so long and Paris felt like it could even be my last chance after so many injuries and time on the circuit.
The process definitely had me questioning if it was all worth it at times but of course it’s rare that something worth fighting for is easy and this will be a journey that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
People ask what my expectations are for Paris but those closest to me know just how much it took to get there and with only 20 people being able to compete, getting there is an achievement in itself.
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks but I can’t wait to get started and take in every moment of my first experience of an Olympic Games, one which I have worked so hard for, waited a lifetime for and at times thought might never arrive.
Molly competes at the Paris Olympics on August 6 and 8
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