Shout Out to Akeem!

Hi all! When I created this website, it was with the intention of sharing updates on my climbing and training. But I also wanted to have a space where I can highlight people in the para-sports community. And that’s exactly what this post is for! As you can probably tell from the title, this post is going to be highlighting my friend Akeem.

This is Akeem:

Akeem is a bilateral amputee (specifically an above knee and below knee amputee) who got into climbing back in July of 2024. He was already really into handcycling, but he decided to try climbing because he thought it looked cool. He used to climb with no prosthesis, and would do a cool mix of pull-ups and smearing with his nubs to get up the wall.

On Sunday (4/6), I had the opportunity to coach a training day camp hosted by Adaptive Climbing Group. The purpose of this camp was to prepare athletes for the upcoming World Cup in Salt Lake, and to give athletes not going to the World Cup the tools to train for the next competition season. Akeem was one of the participants who attended this camp, and I loved everything I saw!

Akeem made the decision to climb with one prosthesis, and that really took his climbing up a notch! I’d seen him climb before the training camp since making that switch, but I was still impressed by what I saw! On the routes he was given, he would smear with his nub and step up with the prosthesis. He could flag with the nub and found ways to rest with most of his weight on it to give the other leg a break. It was so cool to watch. He looked so smooth as he climbed up the 40+ foot wall! I’m so proud of the effort he’s made, and I want you all to see it so I’m adding it here.

I can’t wait to see where Akeem’s climbing journey takes him. Follow him on instagram here to see all his cool training! He posts some really cool stuff, and you don’t want to miss any of it!