Alannah Yip

Alannah Yip started climbing at the age of six years old and became a national champion by 12. Inspired by family friend and future Olympic teammate Sean McColl, she pursued both sport and studies with equal passion. After stepping away from climbing to study engineering at UBC, she graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science in mechanical engineering in 2018. She then returned to climbing with a renewed sense of purpose; blending her technical mindset with her love for the sport.  

Her comeback paid off. She won a gold medal at the Panamerican Climibing Championships in 2020, which qualified her for the upcoming Olympics of that year. Alannah represented Canada in Sport Climbing’s Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020, setting a national record of 7.99 seconds. With a unique combination of strength and intellect, Alannah continues to push boundaries both on and off the wall.