‘When Tony Met Alex’

Meet Parthian Climbing Southampton Route Setting Manager, Tony Flynn.

Tony shares his story about how he first got into climbing as a youngster growing up in South Africa, and how a meeting with climbing superstar Alex Megos inspired him to train hard and make a career out of climbing. 7 years later, and on the other side of the world, Tony and Alex meet again and have a climb together on the Parthian Climbing Southampton Tokyo wall. Over to you Tony!

I first discovered climbing in February 2016, when I was at school. Our setup was modest: a small boulder wall, about 10 meters wide and 3 meters high, and a roped wall on the outside of the gymnasium. It was nothing fancy, but it was enough to spark a passion.

On my very first session, I struggled to make more than four moves on a jug traverse. I spent the entire two hours trying to get past that fourth hold and failed over and over again. But despite the failure, I was instantly hooked. I wasn’t naturally talented—I had to work hard to get better.

My early training was intense, starting with two sessions a week at school with the coach and team, and another session every weekend at a local gym called The Climbing Barn. It was a 30-minute drive from my house and about 50 minutes from school, but I didn’t mind the effort. I wanted to improve.

From the start, I was determined to excel in climbing. I found a lot of inspiration in Alex Megos, who became my climbing idol. I first saw him in a YouTube video attempting the boulder problem Lucid Dreaming, and I was immediately drawn to his skill, strength and climbing ethos. In August 2017, I had the chance to meet Alex in Waterval Boven while he was on his South Africa tour, tackling the hardest boulders and sport routes in the country.

It was a dream come true for me. I had a friend, Mel Janse van Rensburg, who lived in Waterval Boven. His parents ran a gear shop, offered accommodation, and guided climbers in the area. Mel and I went to the same boarding school, and when he told me Alex would be in Boven to try some of the hardest routes, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go and meet him.

Fast forward seven years, and life has taken me on quite the journey. I’m now married and living in Southampton, having moved here because my wife landed a job with the NHS. I was fortunate enough to get a job with Parthian. As luck would have it, Petzl were hosting a Neox workshop, and Alex Megos was there. It was surreal to meet him again, now that I’m the age he was when we first crossed paths. It was a strange but meaningful reminder of how quickly time flies.

If you see Tony at the centre, be sure to introduce yourself and say hi. He’s keen to get your feedback on all things routes and boulders. Let us know if you have any stories to share about Climbing Heroes who have inspired you to train hard!