Bibi Hamers is a great talent in the bouldering world. In addition to performing at the highest level, the 18-year-old from Tilburg also wants to be an example for the youth. She does this by also sharing her mental struggles on social media. “It is important to also show a different side of top sport.”
She shares her bouldering adventures via Instagram, where she has more than 13,000 followers. She posts videos of training and competitions. “But also clothing, where I hope that I can inspire young girls to just do what they feel comfortable with. I post what I want. That apparently appeals to people and also to sponsors. You know, even if things don’t go well, I say so. I haven’t been shy about it.”
The mental struggles arose especially because she was very nervous during competitions. “It was so bad last year that I wanted to take off my shoes to quit. I trained a lot, but because of the nerves the results were poor. I no longer enjoyed it and wondered what I was training for.”
She gave herself one more season in hopes of finding the fun again. “I started training even harder, to the maximum. I am also with another person mindset I went into the matches without expectations and with my mind at zero. Ultimately, that led to better results and me having fun again. I no longer think about quitting, but I must honestly say that the nerves are not completely gone yet.”
“I won’t stop looking, I want a solution.”
Bibi sought appropriate mental guidance several times. No results for the time being. “At first I didn’t want to go to a sports psychologist at all. See me as an athlete from the harder side. It helps me by being direct, not making small talk. I have spoken to a psychologist several times, but I didn’t feel a match anywhere. I don’t stop looking, because I just want a solution.”
What is bouldering?
With bouldering you climb on walls up to 4.5 meters high. Follow the colored handles for the route. Boulderers are not tied to a rope. There are thick crash mats on the ground for safety.
Bouldering plays an important role in Bibi’s life. She trains every day in Tilburg or Antwerp. Next weekend she can show herself during the National Championships. “Winning would be nice, but I don’t set the bar high for myself. If it doesn’t work out, then so be it,” says the Tilburg native who started bouldering at the age of 6, together with her parents.
The ultimate goal is the Olympic Games, although she does not know whether that dream is realistic. “I am a very big dreamer, but I think the chance of the Games is small. To be honest, I am still too bad for that. Maybe I will participate in the World Cups this year, where I will go for the semi-finals. I especially like to train hard and make progress.”
