Olivia Ma ticks Lethal Design (8A+)

Olivia Ma, who last month got the silver in the Pan American Lead Championship, has done Lethal Design (8A+) in Gateway Canyon.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
As far as boulders go, this one’s pretty up my alley— I’m more of a sport climber, so it was nice to put my power endurance to use. The tricky part for me was managing my skin and energy, since I had a short trip and it’s a long climb. It took me most of my first session to tinker through my beta, so my tank was running low by the time I started giving goes. I was psyched to send it first ground go the next day. It felt really nice to finish up Lethal, it has some movement I’ll keep with me for a while. And it’s my first of the grade!

What is your climbing background?
I grew up mainly as an indoor comp kid in New Jersey, but I’ve been lucky to have gotten some good time outdoors, especially in my early teens (thanks mom). It’s been busier for me since I started competing in multiple circuits, especially when I started applying to and attending college. But now that I’ve graduated from youth I think I’ll have more choosing room. I’m excited for that!