The High Performance Speed Team has been training together for 2 years now and is made up of 6 athletes:
SARAH TETZLAFF – ATHLETE
I have been competing in climbing since 2016 and have specialised in the Speed discipline since the start of 2022. Originally from Wellington, I moved to Mt Maunganui in 2017 to train full time for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Six years later, I have achieved the life-changing, mind-blowing result of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. With the original aim to bring balance to my climbing, I have completed my Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences at the University of Waikato over the last three years. I am now doing a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences as well as training full time.
JULIAN DAVID – ATHLETE
At the start of 2022, I joined the New Zealand Speed team and began to specialize in training speed climbing. I have been lucky enough to travel to Korea, Switzerland and France in 2023 and have consistently improved my times culminating in joining Sarah to be the first Kiwi climbers to qualify for the Olympics at the Oceania Olympic Qualifying Event in Melbourne, Australia.
ABBY GEBERT – ATHLETE
I’ve been climbing (lead and boulder) for almost 10 years, but my first time speed climbing was in 2018. Other than climbing I enjoy getting out in nature and going on adventures. I joined the speed squad when it was founded at the start of 2022, and have been focused solely on speed since. My personal best time on the speed wall is 9.06 seconds.
NED JOHNSTON – ATHLETE
I’m an 18 year old competitive speed climber from Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty. I started climbing five years ago and have competed in various regional and national events since. My competitive nature caused me to quickly become hooked on sport climbing and I took a particular interest in speed climbing after trying it out for the first time in late 2020. I recently competed for NZ in the speed climbing at the 2023 IFSC Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in Melbourne placing 5th with a personal best time of 7.82 second. Other hobbies I have include outdoor climbing, surfing, snowsports, mountain biking and music.
FLYNN CHISHOLM – ATHLETE
I’ve been running the same wall for the past two years, trying to perfect it. You would have thought I would’ve nailed it by now but yet there is so much more to learn and try. That’s the cool thing about the sport, there’s always something more to work on. Through my two year journey, I have competed at both national and international events. I have been lucky enough to go around the World to compete at Youth World Champs in America and South Korea, World Cups in Indonesia, France, Switzerland, South Korea and World Champs in Switzerland.
JORJA RANGI – ATHLETE
Whaia te iti Kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei
Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Tangahoe te awa
Ko Aotea to waka
Ko Taranaki to Iwi
Ko Ngati Tanewai me Ngati Tupaea nga hapu
Ko Wharenui to marae
I am 21 and have been doing speed climbing for four years. I started out doing top rope, lead and boulder at our local climbing gym and quickly began competing in those disciplines. Since 2019 training on the speedwall has been my main focus and as soon as I heard about the speed squad I wanted to be part of it.
