The championships were held in Arco, Italy, from July 18 to 25 and featured the world’s best climbers in the under-17 and under-19 categories.
Competitors race up a standardised 15m wall fitted with 20 handholds and 11 footholds.
“I just tell people that it’s climbing up a wall as fast as you can.”
Mila, a Year 11 student at Mount Maunganui College, said the moment she realised she had become a world champion was “surreal”.
“I was just so overcome with emotion; I’ve never been speechless before, because I’m a very chatty person, but I was genuinely speechless.
“That one day was all it took for me to somehow be on top of the world.”
Mila said her “competitive” nature drew her to the sport after an injury forced her to stop competitive gymnastics.
“My twin brother was actually climbing at the time and he loved it. So with me being super competitive, I just decided ‘what if I do this but better?’ That’s really all there was to it.”
She said once she discovered something she enjoyed and had potential in, she fully committed.
“If I find something that I’m good at, I will train hard and do anything to be better. I got hooked and stayed on it from there.”
Mila broke the Oceania women’s open speed record, with a time of 7.70s. Photo / Italia Climbing
Mila said holding the Oceania women’s open speed record was “crazy” as she was not yet old enough to compete in opens.
She said she gained confidence with each run through the finals as the timer repeatedly flashed green, meaning she remained unbeaten.
“I was just so happy to be there. I was prepared. I wasn’t nervous, but I was level-headed, calm, composed, doing what I love, and I somehow managed to put it all together, saw that green, and started crying immediately.”
Mila said breaking the record and winning the world title made her realise she could “have a shot at bigger things”, with her sights now set on the 2028 Olympics.
“It’s all there for me, but it just means putting in a little bit more hard work.”
Mila’s victory adds to a growing list of international successes produced through a Mount Maunganui-based speed climbing programme led by Rob Moore.
She is the second Youth World Champion developed under Moore’s coaching, following Julian David’s under-20 world title in 2023.
Mila Piatek trains with the Bay of Plenty Sport Climbing Association. Photo / Brydie Thompson
The programme has also helped develop New Zealand Olympians, like David, and Sarah Tetzlaff, who competed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Moore, Climbing New Zealand’s high performance director and head coach, told the Bay of Plenty Times Mila’s win was “pretty significant”.
“It means a lot for us as part of our development pathway. It’s the biggest title you can get for youth climbing so to win that is pretty exciting.”
He said Mila “rose to the occasion” during the competition.
“In speed climbing, once you get to the final, it’s not about running the fastest time; it’s about being the most consistent and getting to the top first.
“So to do that, you need to have a pretty good head, stay in control, and she was really good, kept consistent the whole way and was able to take that title.”
He said Mila demonstrated that hard work and consistency, supported by a wraparound programme, led to her success.
“I couldn’t be more proud.”
Kaitlyn Morrell is a journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.