While many were watching Katie Ledecky winning gold medals in swimming or Simone Biles dominating the gymnastics field, 13-year-old Jackson Day and 17-year-old Ella Fisher were watching a more obscure sport at this year’s Summer Olympics: climbing.
That’s because Day, from Scottsdale, and Fisher, of Tempe, hope to be on the American climbing team at future Olympics, and they are both well on their way.
Day, an eighth grader at Scottsdale Prep, recently placed third in the nation in bouldering (shorter climbs) and fourth in the nation in lead climbing (higher climbs which require safety ropes) placing him on the USA Climbing Youth National Team for both bouldering and lead climbing.
