After 'insane' Olympics Shauna Coxsey turns her attention to rock climbing

Shauna Coxsey is Britain's most successful climber, winning medals at the World Championships and being part of history as the sport made its Olympic debut.

Reflecting on her time at Tokyo 2020, the 28-year-old from Runcorn says it was an honour to be part of Team GB.

She said: "For climbing's debut and to be an athlete representing Team GB there, it was just insane. It really was a true privilege to be part of all that.

"I enjoyed it so much and there was an incredible buzz around the fact that it was climbing's first games and that we'd made it."

Shauna Coxsey competes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Credit: USA TODAY Network/SIPA USA/PA Images

While Tokyo 2020 was Shauna's first Olympics it will also be her last. Since coming home she has retired from international competition to become a professional rock climber.

She said: "For me climbing has always been about competitions but also rock climbing and it feels like the right time to focus on rock climbing now. I'm still a professional climber just not a competition climber."

A busy few months for Shauna has seen her represent Team GB, change career and also tie the knot. She said: "We did get married in the Peak District but there was no climbing involved much to everyone's disappointment."

Shauna Coxsey with the children from Crompton House School Credit: Summit Up Climbing

Shauna says she's seen a surge in interest in climbing since it made its Olympic debut.

At the opening of a new multi-million pound climbing centre in Oldham she has been passing on her tips to the top to pupils from Crompton House School.

"After the Games with more people seeing climbing and wanting to go and try it for themselves, places like this are so important", she said

"There's so much passion to make climbing accessible, diverse and inclusive here. I can't wait to see all these walls full of people climbing it's going to be amazing."

Shauna Coxsey with Stoller Trust Trustees Stephen Lowe and Lindsay Walsh Credit: Summit Up Climbing

The new Summit Up climbing centre is a 20,000 sq foot purpose built site. It's been funded by The Stoller Charitable Trust and the money it makes will go back into funding local community projects.

Summit Up's chairman Stephen Lowe says the site offers something for the whole family and hopes it will help to discover future stars to follow in Shauna's footsteps.

Stephen says, "We are unique in that this centre has everything under one roof. We have the Olympic disciplines here so if we can be getting some of our youngsters involved in the sport, nothing could be better than having an Olympian from Oldham.

"That's the ultimate aim really."