The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

Alek Pouliopoulos Rocks Climbing

By DJ Keller
Staff Writer

Alek Pouliopoulos tremendous show of skill

Our own Alek Pouliopoulos is an unknown secret of talent. You may not believe it, but Pouliopoulos is a phenom at rock climbing. At first glance it’s hard for one to see the explosive speed Pouliopoulos contains.

Eighteen year old Westford Academy senior Pouliopoulos has been rock climbing since his ninth birthday at Boulder Morty’s. He has been hooked since then, and he joined the Boulder Morty’s team at age twelve.

Making Nationals his very first year, and placing twelfth is simply astonishing, but this was only a start for Pouliopoulos. The following year Pouliopoulos landed himself a spot on the U.S rock climbing team. His first international competition came when Pouliopoulos was only in the 8th grade in Colorado. The Continental championship, was won by Pouliopoulos. As a freshman Pouliopoulos competed in Ecuador for the World Championships . He took 11th in the world for his age group. The following year in France he took 18th for the World Championships. With things going so well for Pouliopoulos, it was inevitable something would get in the way.

Pouliopoulos broke his wrist mere days before the Australian Open World Championships the spring of his sophomore year, and was unable to climb for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, this was an reoccurring problem. At Nationals his junior year, Pouliopoulos popped his wrist in and out, damaging the tendons in his wrist. He actually shredded the tendons in his wrist, and Pouliopoulos’s speed and time have been compromised by this weakness.

But all of this has not stopped his passion for rock climbing, he still continues to compete today, and took 5th this Thanksgiving in the Ecuador Pan-American Championships.

Pouliopoulos plans on studying outdoor education, and is possibly attending Western State College of Colorado. He hopes to stay in the similar field, eventually making his career in the rock climbing industry.

Alek Pouliopoulos climbing a near vertical wall
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