Toby Roberts Talks Lackluster Start to 2025 Comp Season

Last summer, British climber Toby Roberts won gold at the Paris Olympics. While that comp was undoubtedly the highlight of his year (and climbing career), he also had a very solid showing in the World Cup circuit in 2024. In Lead, he won gold twice and bronze twice. In Boulder, he placed 3rd once and 4th twice. Across the whole season, he never placed lower than 7th in any competition.

Many expected Roberts to continue his success in the 2025 World Cup season, but that success had not yet come. At the first two comps of the year – the Boulder World Cup in Keqiao and the Lead World Cup in Wujiang – Roberts placed 15th in each, missing out on the chance to compete in the finals. He sat out of the Lead comp in Bali, as well as the Boulder comps in Curitiba and Salt Lake City. He rejoined the circuit last weekend at the Prague Boulder World Cup, placing 20th overall, again missing the finals.

Roberts, 20, recently released a lengthy statement on social media about his experience competing this year in the World Cup, providing us all a window into the struggles of reaching the top of a sport at such a young age. You can read it in full below.

Toby Roberts Statement

I don’t feel like an Olympic Champion right now. I never thought anything would feel harder than lead climbing in an Olympic final… but mentally, the recent comps hit differently. When I struggle to process results after emotionally charged events, imposter syndrome is the only way I can describe it. How did I even achieve that? Did it really happen?

Now I’m finishing 20th and still posing for photos and signing autographs – and I’m thinking, what kind of role model is that? It’s not that I don’t appreciate the support – I really do – it’s just that I’ve felt completely overwhelmed by it all and everything going on in my head. This season started in a way I’d never experienced before. I was 19 when I won gold. I didn’t have a plan for 20…

Winter training used to be about how deep I could dig, how far I could push, with laser focus and zero distractions from the goal. Then I achieved the goal – and my life changed. This year, my dad/coach/team started using annoying words like “transition” and “reset” and talked a lot about “preparing for November” — even though it was only January!? I wasn’t impressed. It was hard to get my head around and get on board with. The pressure and expectations I felt going into this season were huge. I’ve always performed best in high-pressure environments, but this felt different – heavier. I didn’t know how to deal with it. I was struggling mentally and felt alone and isolated… but from the outside, you’d never have known.

Yes, I have an amazing support network — and I’m endlessly grateful especially for the support of my parents – but actually opening up, being vulnerable? That wasn’t something I knew how to do. How could I be struggling… mentally? But slowly, things are starting to make sense. I’ve been climbing defensively this season – weighed down by pressure and expectation – and that’s not what climbing is about. It’s definitely not what I’m about.

I was told this year’s plan was to “learn to love competing” again – which I thought was stupid, because I always have… but I get it now: climbing with nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’ve had disappointing comps before – my Boulder results have never been amazing – now I’m dealing with single disciplines and evolving styles combined with the Olympic Champion title.

Being Olympic Champion is incredible. But I didn’t win the Olympics and then fall in love with climbing – I won because I already loved it. This year is doing exactly what it’s meant to: stripping back all the noise and helping me refocus on what really matters – the next goal. It’s not up to me to choose the medals or the style of climbing. My job is to respond to the challenge.

I’ve already set my heart on LA. I’ve got three years. I just didn’t realise the work had already started – and that so far, it’s been more mental than physical. I’ve got a lot of work to do – But I’m already on my way — and somehow right where I need to be. As for the rest of this season – I want to compete without expectations – I’m learning to reframe it. I love competing – and I want to enjoy it again, attack it and to go out there with everything to gain and nothing to lose.

I’ll give it everything. It starts in Bern. Hopefully see you there.

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