SIXTEEN-year-old climbing star Seren Wills is scaling new heights and cementing her status as one of Britain’s most exciting young talents, following a breakthrough season that has taken her from domestic podiums to Europe’s biggest walls.

The Saltash athlete has just recorded the best international result of her career, finishing an impressive fifteenth at the European Lead Cup in Toulouse. The performance places Seren firmly among the elite, lifting her into the top 30 Under-17 climbers in Europe and making her Team GB’s second highest ranked athlete in that age category. In a sport growing rapidly in popularity and competitiveness, the achievement underlines both her potential and her progress.

Earlier this year, Seren also made her mark closer to home. In February, she won bronze in the Under-17 category at the 2025 British Lead Climbing Championships in Manchester, adding another major result to an already impressive competitive résumé.

That medal followed a strong 2024 season representing Great Britain at international events in China, Slovakia, Austria and France, where she secured top-25 finishes at every competition.

Seren’s success is built on a demanding and carefully balanced training programme. She trains three times a week at Boulder Exe and the Quay Climbing Centre in Exeter, with an additional weekly session at Plymouth Hanger. Away from the wall, she undertakes regular strength and conditioning training at Saltash Leisure Centre, where she benefits from free membership as a GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) athlete.

Alongside her sporting commitments, Seren is studying Uniform Protective Services at Callywith College in Bodmin and is a member of the college’s High Performance Academy. She has been climbing since the age of two and has set her sights firmly on the very top of the sport, with long-term ambitions of becoming both an Olympic and world champion.

“This is a great way to end what has been a challenging season,” said Seren. “I’ve had to balance GCSEs, moving from school into further education, and being selected for both the GB Lead Climbing and GB Bouldering teams. I’m really excited about next year and looking forward to getting a solid winter training phase in.”

Sport has always played a central role in Seren’s life and she has enjoyed strong family support from an early age. Her father, Julian, is an ultra-runner and award-winning high-performance coach who also teaches at Callywith College, while her mother, Alison, works as a strategic partnership manager with Sport England.

Seren’s younger brother, Bodhi, is also showing significant promise and has already been selected for the England foundation climbing squad.

Operating under the Better brand, GLL is the not-for-profit social enterprise that runs 240 leisure centres across the UK, including nine in Cornwall. As a GSF athlete, Seren has free access to all Better facilities nationwide.

“I’m very grateful to GLL’s Sport Foundation for their continued support,” Seren added. “Being able to train at Saltash Leisure Centre and other Better centres around the country free of charge makes a big difference.”