Cape Girardeau teen climbing to the top

Hanna Sprigg has big goals. In six years, she wants to perform on the world stage.

"I want to go to the Olympics in 2012," the diminutive 16-year-old says with a smile. By that time, she'll be 22, not too old to compete in summer games.

There's only one problem -- her sport isn't yet in the Olympics. Hers is a sport that many people still see as recreation, not a competitive athletic competition.

Sprigg is a climber. With only about two years experience under her belt, she's already one of the best climbers in her age group in the nation.

Earlier this month, Sprigg went to a national competition sponsored by USA Climbing, the national governing body for competitive climbing. She advanced through three levels of competition in which she competed with other climbers from several states. The young climber with a gymnastics background didn't win, but that's all right with her, since this was her first year of competition.

"It's my first year, so to start out we were like, 'This is just going to be an experience year,' and I was really surprised at how I did," Sprigg said.

Two years ago Sprigg was just a girl trying out climbing for the first time with her friend's family. She quickly got hooked and started making multiple trips to St. Louis each week to climb in a gym there.

One of her teachers at the gym, Upper Limits Rock Climbing Gym and Pro Shop, said it didn't take the new pupil long to master the sport.

"Hanna is an extremely strong climber and she's extremely determined. She took up the sport quickly, and she ran with it," said gym general manager Brandi Ball.

For Sprigg's parents, climbing is a great way for their home-schooled child to compete in sports, said mom Cindy, a local veterinarian.

"We're more comfortable with this than with gymnastics and cheerleading," Cindy Sprigg said. "Those are two sports where you can really be injured."

Now the Sprigg family bases family trips around climbing hot spots like northwest Arkansas. Hanna gets to practice her climbing, while her parents get to hike, run, bike and take in beautiful scenery.

And then there's the entertainment factor of the competitions.

"I've never had an interest in rock climbing, and I've become such a fan," said Cindy Sprigg.

Whether Hanna will get her chance at the Olympics depends on whether the games accept climbing as a sport. USA Climbing's main goal is to have the sport accepted into the Olympics by the end of the decade.

msanders@semissourian.com

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