The fastest
American
on a wall.
I'm Sam Watson. I took bronze in Paris at 18, broke the men's world record twice that summer, and ran 4.60 in Krakow in July 2026. The next two seasons point at Los Angeles, and I'm taking a few partners with me.
The person
Who you'd be working with.
I've spent most of my life getting five seconds of climbing exactly right. I publish my training, my splits and my mistakes on LearnSpeedClimbing, because the sport grows faster in the open and secrecy bores me. I complain about afternoon finals, then run personal bests in them.
For a partner that translates simply: I turn up prepared, I keep my word, and if I say your product is good, it is because I train with it.
How I operate
Six rules I train and work by.
Run honest.
Real numbers, in sport and in business. If a split was slow, I say so.
Chase tenths.
Records move a hundredth at a time, so I keep splits on everything I do.
Share beta.
Everything I know about going fast is published on LearnSpeedClimbing, free.
Stay hungry.
Losing the 4.64 in spring 2026 did more for my training than holding it ever did.
Win together.
The relay record has two names on it. Partnerships work the same way.
Show up.
Every round, every session, every commitment, including the ones nobody sees.
Partnerships
Two seasons until a home Games. I want a few partners on the road with me.
Title, performance or project: three formats, one conversation to start it. Tell me what your brand needs and you will hear back within two working days.
The proof
The season
2027 season opens
Shanghai World Cup
2026 final standing
5th overall · 3,285 points
The road so far
Olympic bronze in Paris.
An Olympic medal at 18, in speed's first Games as its own event.
Four world records.
The men's 15m mark falls four times in one season, all four to me. Twice in Wujiang in April, twice in Paris.
Down to 4.64.
Two more world records in Bali in May. The mark stands until April 2026.
First names in the book.
The inaugural Speed Mixed Relay record, 10.89 with Emma Hunt in Krakow.
Krakow, won at 4.60.
A World Cup title and a new personal best in the same run.
Los Angeles.
A home Games, with speed as its own medal event on American soil.
LearnSpeedClimbing
Everything I know is public.
I built LearnSpeedClimbing: the standard route hold by hold, live World Cup results, and the training behind my records. If you want to get fast, start there.
Journal
From the road.
Training · July 28, 2026
How Speed Climbers Train: Inside My Week
How elite speed climbers actually train: route laps, section work and off-wall power, plus the beginner mis…
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First person · July 24, 2026
What Is the Speed Mixed Relay? Inside Our 10.89 World Record
The Speed Mixed Relay format explained, plus a first-hand account of the 10.89 world record Sam Watson and …
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Olympics · July 21, 2026
Climbing at LA 2028: Three Medals, New Format, Explained
Sport climbing gets three separate medal events per gender at LA 2028. The new Olympic format, the speed cl…
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Two seasons until a home Games. The partner roster is short on purpose.
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