By Titi Odusanwo

Wimbledon teenager Alexia Basch has scaled the heights to become the junior British bouldering champion.

To the uninitiated, bouldering is indoor rock climbing, and the 14-year-old – a member of the junior British bouldering team – is hopeful it will one day become an Olympic event.

That is not surprising given her new junior champion status in the 14 to 15 age group, and her third place finish in last year’s GB Youth Open competition.

The Wimbledon High School student got into the sport five years ago, when her grandmother took her to a climbing wall at a theme park.

Alexia said: “I really enjoyed it and I happened to be spotted by a coach who saw my potential.

“It quickly became a passion and I love the challenge and variety of climbing, as well as taking on bigger and more testing walls.”

Alexia was recommended to join the West Way Climbing Centre in west London, and she was soon in the elite bouldering squad.

She said: “Bouldering is a fairly new sport. It’s a form of rock climbing but without the use of ropes or harnesses.

“I practice up to four times a week, for a minimum of two hours.

“There are always new climbs, new angles, new additions, new holds and new competitions. The sport is never repetitive and keeps challenging your body and mind.”

Alexia balances her successful sporting hobby with nine GCSEs - nonetheless, she is determined to continue excelling athletically, as well as academically.

She said: “Initially it was hard to balance it all, but now I have got used to it, planning out my school work between climbs.”

Next up is the Junior European Championships in October, and beyond that Britain’s senior bouldering team and the senior world championships - however, there is an even bigger prize at stake.

Alexia said: “Bouldering was put forward in the bid for new events at the 2020 London Olympics, but didn’t make the top three.

“It would be great if the sport was included in the Olympics.”

Your Local Guardian:

Winner: Alexia shows off her gold medal