Story by Cameron Thomas
Anchor lead:
ROCK CLIMBING IS A PHYSICALLY TAXING SPORT……. CAMERON THOMAS INTRODUCES US TO A CLIMBER WHO HAS EXTRA CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME.
Track: Kyle Long’s idea of fun is… different than most. You can often find the 36-year old dangling off a cliff in Western North Carolina, or training in the gym- all while using a prosthetic right leg. One outdoor route that Long is trying to climb demands a lot.
Kyle Long, Nurse and National-Level Paraclimber: The handholds are incredibly thin, so you really have to be strong with your fingertips, strong in your feet. I do have to use my affected limb quite a lot, my affected limb being the one that has an amputated foot.
Track: Outdoor climbing isn’t all Long does. He’s an elite competition climber as well, representing the United States in the Paraclimbing World Cup in three of the past four years.
Kyle Long, Nurse and National-Level Paraclimber: Great community, you know, gets outside of your comfort zone, makes you go and meet new people, go see new places.
Track: While it might not be the most conventional hobby, Long thinks there’s value in it for everyone.
Kyle Long, Nurse and National-Level Paraclimber: You get outside and you view the outdoors in a very different way, especially the mountains and various other, you know, parts of nature. It really allows you to appreciate nature on a much deeper level.
Track: I’m Cameron Thomas, reporting.
TRT: 1:22
Tag: You can watch Kyle compete for another World Cup spot at the 2024 Paraclimbing National Championships this March 9th and 10th in Gatlinburg, Maryland.
Cameron Thomas is a senior from Raleigh, NC, majoring in Media and Journalism with a focus on Sports Broadcast. He has experience in photography, writing, control room, social media and video production. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in visual communication for sports.
