Aniya Holder

Aniya Holder is a South African rock climber, born on 3 August 2001 in Grahamstown, now Makhanda, who specialises in competition climbing and particularly speed climbing. She grew up as one of seven children, tried dancing and karate, and started climbing at fourteen on a small wall at Rhodes University. After injuries in 2021 she moved from bouldering and lead to speed climbing on her coach's suggestion, began in October 2022 and won her first speed competition in late 2023. At the 2023 African Continental Championship in Pretoria she won the final in 11.33 seconds, which also qualified her for the 2024 Summer Olympics. In Paris she was the only woman representing an African nation in the speed event, set a personal best of 9.12 seconds in qualification and was eliminated by world record holder Aleksandra Mirosław. She lives in Gqeberha, where she works as a route-setter and coach, and she is also a visual artist.