Max Milne: Scottish climber targeting Olympic gold after rise from tragedy

Max Milne credits his climbing career with keeping him grounded amid a backdrop of tragedy.

The Scot was 10 years old when he took up the sport as a distraction from his mother Catherine's cancer diagnosis.

More than a decade later, it has provided emotional stability and shaped the man he is today.

"My dad wanted me and my sister to keep busy and not just think about mum's situation 24-7 because it was super scary and confusing," he tells BBC Scotland.

"I had no idea what was going on, I was 10, I didn't even know what cancer is or what life is.

"She passed away later that year, when I just turned 11. I was so young I didn't know how huge that was and when I was an early teenager, all these emotions were coming up.

"I was starting to be a rowdy boy, and then climbing helped me to settle and find who I wanted to be, so it was powerful."

Climbing is not a pursuit that runs in the Milne family. But it's perhaps no surprise the 21-year-old from Aberdeen is now making his mark at the highest level. Scaling objects has been second nature to him from an early age.

"I was always climbing up doorframes and everything," he adds. "When we were playing tig as a child, I was always up trees, you can't catch me because I was nowhere to be seen.

"I was the kid who would get the football off the roof at lunchtime. When we used to go to a park, my mum would joke, 'if you can't find Max, just look up'."

From difficult beginnings, Milne has prospered. His chosen discipline is bouldering, a form of free climbing, and his silver at last weekend's World Cup series event in Italy was Great Britain's first men's medal at that level for 15 years.

The 2024 Olympics in Paris is the big target looming on the horizon and he has an unconventional method of motivation.

Sport climbing made its Olympic debut at last summer's Games in Tokyo and will again be part of the roster in two years' time.

"Gold medals man, it is all about that gold medal," Milne says. "It is written on my bedroom in my house in Aberdeen.

"I've graffitied my whole room. I have got some old bib numbers. My first youth medal was also in Brixen - where I got my first senior medal a few days ago - and before that competition I put a nail in the wall and said 'European gold medal'.

"I just visualised it and thought, 'this is where I am going to put my gold medal' - I took a bronze but it is still nice to do stuff like this. I really enjoy having that idea, speaking about it and trying to go and do it."

Milne has plenty to look forward to, which is entirely apt for an athlete nicknamed 'The Future'.

"A Scottish climber called Robbie Phillips gave me a few coaching sessions when I was younger and he was like, 'this kid is really good, this kid is the future'," he explains.

"I loved that and then one of my school friends changed my name on Instagram to it, and I was like, 'you know what, I like it. I am the future, lets see how far I can go'. It has built into a little brand, it fits me."