Sport Climbing is making its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Overview
Climbers navigate vertical walls featuring various hand and foot holds in three disciplines – speed, boulder and lead.
In speed, two climbers with safety ropes attached race each other on a steep, 15-metre-high wall. The boulder discipline sees athletes without safety ropes climb a challenging route on a 4-metre-high wall, trying to reach the top in just four seconds!
In lead, athletes have six minutes to climb as high as they can on a wall measuring over 15 metres. They are scored on how many hand holds they pass.
Each climber will compete in all three, and final rankings will be determined by multiplying their place in each discipline.
Sport Climbing Team
Ones to Watch
18-year-old Oceania Mackenzie became the second female Australian climber to ever make a final at the 2019 IFSC Boulder World Cup in Meiringen, Switzerland.
Tom O’Halloran is renowned for his first ascents outdoors. He has climbed four first ascents at the challenging grade of 35 (9a), a feat that has only been achieved by a handful of other athletes across the world!
The Format
Overall Scoring
The final score is a multiplication of each competitor’s placement in the three disciplines.
So, if you were first in speed, third in boulder and fourth in lead, your score would be: 1 x 3 x 4 = 12. Athletes with the lowest scores win the medals!
Boulder Scoring
Halfway up each boulder “problem” is the “zone” hold. Securing this hold earns climbers an intermediate score, which can help them gain their overall ranking, even if they don’t reach the top.
So, if you have two “tops” and two “zones”, you will rank higher than someone who has two “tops” and one “zone”. If two climbers have the same score, the athlete who achieved their score in the fewest number of attempts will win.
Lead Scoring
Athletes must, “control” a hold in order for it to count towards their final score. So, if a climber jumps for a hold and their hand touches it, but they immediately fall off, that hold will not be counted.
Judges determine if the hold counts toward a final score based on whether or not a climber had all of their bodyweight on that hold.
One Minute, One Sport | Sport Climbing
Video courtesy of tokyo2020.org / olympicchannel.com
Eyes on the Competition
In the men’s draw, Czech climber Adam Ondra is expected to deliver an impressive Olympic performance. Ondra specialises in a style of climbing known as “onsite” or “flash” – completing a route you’ve never climbed before first try, without falling off.
Climbers will have a limited time to inspect the boulder and lead routes at the Games, so this skill will come in handy.
Also look out for Jacob Schubert, Austria.
In the women’s draw, Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret has had a strong start to 2021. She holds six World Cup titles.
Also look out for – Akiyo Noguchi, Japan; Laura Rogora, Italy and Brooke Rabbatou, USA.
What's The Story?
- Oceania Mackenzie has recently achieved two new speed climbing PBs
- Oceania Mackenzie is the second Australian woman ever to make a World Cup final, which makes her a strong contender for an Olympic podium finish
- Tom O’Halloran was taught to climb by his dad. He now climbs with his wife and 7-year-old daughter
- Tom O’Halloran has completed a number of first ascents in outdoor climbing, including four at grade 35 (9a)
- It is generally agreed that Adam Ondra (Czech) has climbed the hardest route in the world, graded at 9c
- Adam Ondra is the first climber in the world to “flash” (climb a route you have never seen or climbed before on first try, without falling off) a route graded at 9a+
Did you Know?
While competitions take place on artificial walls, the majority of climbers you will see competing at the Olympic Games will train and climb outdoors in the mountains!
Many of them are famous for their outdoor climbing achievements, as well as their rankings in competitions.
Climbers squeeze their feet into their shoes so tightly, their toes curl. This makes it easier for them to cling onto tiny holds on the wall with their feet!
Sport Climbing Snapshot
