Alexander Megos

From an article by Planetmountain after his historic first on-sight of a 9a climb, Estado Critico at Siurana in Spain 2013:

Even if it had been on the cards for a while and everyone was expecting it, the news was, quite rightly, astonishing. Also because the world's first 9a on-sight wasn't achieved by strongman Adam Ondra - who on three occasions got extremely close - but by 19-year-old German climber Alexander Megos. Put in other words, by a nigh unknown young and extremely talented sports climber whose ability, until a few days ago, was recognised almost exclusively by the select few of best climbers in the world. In truth, Megos had started to leave his mark recently, above all with his 8c+ flash of Pure Imagination at Red River Gorge in the USA. But let's be honest, with few 9a redpoints to his name a handful of 8b+ on-sights, who would have hedged their bets on this young, tranquil 19-year-old? But instead, along came the astounding news of the world's first 9a onsight and confirmation of his superb class.

To better comprehend it all we asked Megos some questions about his performance. But not only. In fact, we asked for information about this historic onsight of Estado Critico at Siurana from someone who perhaps knows more about 9a's than anyone else: i.e. Adam Ondra in person. This is what magic Adam, as an athlete and true first-class person, told Planetmountain: "Obviously when I first read this news on the 8a.nu website, I stood still for an instant, I couldn't believe it. But thinking about it for a moment, I knew that it must have been true. All I can say is that Alex's performance is truly unique and stands out. He chose the right route (one of few routes that the world has to offer) and he just went for it. With a perfect mindset, he did everything perfectly and clipped the chains of what is probably (in terms of grade certainly) the hardest onsight ever! It is not only question of luck (even though this plays an important role); you definitely have to have the level and you have to MASTER the onsight style. In addition, what discipline: he hadn't seen any videos of this route (Progression for example with Chris Sharma trying Golpe de Estado ), or maybe he is just not interested in watching videos at all. In terms of grade, no matter what it is, it seemed hard to me. When I did it back in 2007 in a couple of tries, it seemed a soft 8c+ to me. But shortly after Chris Sharma made the first ascent of Golpe de Estado, which shares the second half of the route, the hold broke in bouldery sequence just above where the two routes join up. I have never climbed Estado Critico after this hold break, but it seemed to me as it could have made it a notch harder, sufficient to break the 9a barrier. For Golpe de Estado though, this didn't make any difference, or at the most it transformed it from soft 9b to normal 9b."

First ascents

 "Enter The Dragon" 34 (8c+), Taipan Wall, Grampians, Australien, Australien, Mai 2015
 "5 Star Bin Dive" 34 (8c+), Taipan Wall, Grampians, Australien, Australien, Mai 2015
 „Schweinebaumeln“ 35 (9a), Elphinstone, Blue Mountains, Australien, April 2015[9]
 „Classified“ 11/11+ (UIAA-Skala); 9a/+ (franz.), 4.Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, April 2013
 „Dicker Bert“ 11 (9a), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Juni 2013
 „R.E.D.“ 35 (9a), Blue Mountains, Australien, August 2013
 „J.F.O“. 8c+, Kalymnos, Griechenland, Oktober 2013
 „Nice Freshly Baked“ 11 (9a), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2014
 „Modified“ 11/11+ (9a+), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Juni 2014
 „Janus“ 11 (9a), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Juni 2014
 „Et dieu créa la Flemme“ 9a, Ceüse, Frankreich, Juli 2014
 „Geocache“ 11 (9a), Frankenjura, Deutschland, September 2014

Repetitions

 „Pure Imagination“ 8c+ (franz.), Flash, November 2012
 „Golden Ticket“ 5.14c (8c+), 2.Versuch, Red River Gorge, Kentucky, USA, November 2012
 „The Fly“ 5.14d (9a), Rumney, New Hampshire, USA, Oktober 2012
 „A muerte“ 8c+/9a, 2.Versuch, Siurana, Spanien, März 2013
 „Estado critico“ 9a, onsight, Siurana, Spanien, März 2013
 „La Rambla“ 9a+, 2.Versuch, Siurana, Spanien, März 2013
 „Jungle Speed“ 9a, 4.Versuch, Siurana, Spanien, März 2013
 „Corona“ 11/11+ (9a+), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2013
 „Pantera“ 11 (9a), 3.Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2013
 „The Elder Statesman“ 11 (9a), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Juni 2013
 „Sever the Wicked Hand“ 11 (9a), 4.Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, Juni 2013
 „The Groove Train“ 33 (8c), 4.Versuch, Taipan Wall, Grampians, Australien, Juli 2013
 „La Bongada 9a“, Margalef, Spanien, Dezember 2013
 „La Ley Innata“ 8c+/9a, 2.Versuch, Margalef, Spanien, Januar 2014
 La Rubia 8c+, 2.Versuch, El Chorro (Chilam Balam Cave), Spanien, Januar 2014
 „House of Shock“ 11 (9a), 4.Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, April 2014
 „Action Directe“ 11 (9a), 3.Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2014
 „Matador“ 11 (9a), 5.Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2014
 „Black Label“ 11 (9a), 3.Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2014
 „The Essential“ 11 (9a), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2014
 „The Man that Follows Hell“ 11/11+ (9a+), Frankenjura, Deutschland, Mai 2014
 „To tu ješte nebylo“ 9a, 1.Wiederholung, Elbsandstein, Tschechien, Juni 2014
 „Biographie/Realization“ 9a+, 3.Versuch, Ceüse, Frankreich, Juli 2014
 „Unplugged“ 11 (9a), 3. Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, September 2014
 „Life’s Blood For The Downthrodden“ 11 (9a), 4. Versuch, Frankenjura, Deutschland, September 2014
 „Flat mountain“ (9a/9a+), 2. Wiederholung seit 2003, Japan, März 2015

Boulders

 Blood Meridian (V12/13) Fb 8A+/B, Flash, Buttermilks, Kalifornien, USA, Januar 2013
 Evilution (V11) Fb 8A, Buttermilks, Kalifornien, USA, Januar 2013
 Terre de Sienne (V13/14) Fb 8B/+, Hueco Tanks, Texas, USA, Februar 2013
 Das Pumpenhausen Testpiece Fb 8B, Erstbegehung, Porth Ysgo, Wales, Großbritannien, Mai 2013
 The Wheel of Life 9a/+ (Routenbewertung), Grampians, Australien, Juli 2013
 Wheelchair 9a+ (Routenbewertung), Erstbegehung, Grampians, Australien, Juli 2013
 Pigeon Superstition (V14) Fb 8B+, Grampians, Australien, Juli 2013
 Bad Boyz for Life Fb 8B+, Erstbegehung, Frankenjura, Deutschland, April 2014
 Unendliche Geschichte 8B+, Magic Wood, Schweiz, April 2014
 Amandla Fb 8B+, Rocklands, Südafrika, Juli 2014
 Olifants Dawn Fb 8B+, Rocklands, Südafrika, August 2014
 Sky Fb 8B+, Rocklands, Südafrika, August 2014
 Wrath of Lich King Fb 8B+/C, 1.Wiederholung, Frankenjura, Deutschland, September 2014
 Meadowlark Lemon (V14) Fb 8B+, Red Rocks, Kalifornien, USA, November 2014
 Montecore Fb 8B+, Frankenjura, Deutschland, November 2014
 Direct North (V14) Fb 8B+, Buttermilks, Kalifornien, USA, Januar 2015
 Lucid Dreaming (V15) Fb 8C, 3.Begehung, Buttermilks, Kalifornien, USA, Januar 2015
 Orochi Fb 8C, 3.Begehung (innerhalb von 2 Stunden), Japan, März 2015
 Double Demerit 8B+, 1.Wiederholung, Australien, März 2015

Wikipedia

Megos creates, he says, an agreeable atmosphere, one that is always funny and supportive. However, once he ties in, his focus immediately changes. It's a radical change of aura that allows him to fight unrelentingly and without mercy.

There is a flip side to this a muerte style however. If a route defies his power and magic, Megos can spiral down in attitude. After a failed attempt to climb a wet 5.14d in the blue mountains of Australia, for example, I noticed that Megos was beset with self-pity and shame even though he was trying to climb through the lower section with a glove on to keep his tips dry for the thin crimpy crux.

Depressed, he said, "All of the traveling, just climbing and not training for several months have made me tired and weak. I need to train to climb near my limit".

The evening after falling on the Blue mountains 5.14d, Megos stopped by at a gym and beat his core into oblivion with gymnastic routines on the rings and kettle balls.

Wiz Fineron, a pro climber and traveling mate of Megos, observes, "I have slowly noticed small cracks in an otherwise near-perfect climbing machine. Usually his pure power and brute strength are enough for him to get up routes, but when this doesn't work, it'll leave him puzzled and asking for help.