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Climbing in the Olympics: What to Expect in 2024

The 2024 Paris Olympics are rapidly approaching, igniting a wave of anticipation and excitement among climbing enthusiasts. The opening ceremony, a grand spectacle, is set to captivate the world in just under two months, on July 26th. Climbing, a sport that has been steadily gaining popularity, is returning for its second time after a thrilling debut in the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympic Games. However, with this new stage comes some highly anticipated changes to the competition format and the opportunity for more athletes to take the stage, adding to the thrill and excitement of the event.

A Brief Recap of the Tokyo Olympics

In 2021, the Olympic Committee gave Sport Climbing two gold medals, meaning there could be one event for males and one for females where three athletes would podium. Typically, International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) competitions have three events athletes can medal in: Lead, boulder, and Speed. To remedy the situation, climbers had to qualify and compete in all three disciplines (lead, boulder, and speed) at the Tokyo Olympics. For those aware of the nuances in climbing, many athletes specialize in either boulder and lead or speed, as the training is very different for the latter. As exciting as it was to witness the inauguration of climbing at the Olympics, the format proved challenging for athletes who had to adopt new training plans to compete at a high level in all three disciplines.

Looking Ahead to Paris 2024

Fast forward to the approaching summer Olympics in Paris. The Olympic Committee, recognizing the immense talent and dedication of Sport Climbing athletes, has given the sport 12 medals, or four gold medal events, enabling a format change reflective of the IFSC competitions. This time, athletes have been able to compete to qualify for a spot in the Boulder & Lead or the Speed competition in Paris. This change not only creates a more familiar competition experience for the athletes but also opens up the opportunity for more climbers to represent their country on the biggest sports stage, a testament to their hard work and skill.

For those with more questions about the nitty-gritty details, we’ve answered some of the most common questions regarding climbing in the Olympics.

Climbing in the Olympics: What to Expect in 2024 Q&A

  • How many climbers will be in Paris?

Sixty-eight climbers will have the opportunity to compete in Paris. Twenty athletes per gender will compete in the Combined Boulder and lead discipline. The remaining 28 spots, divided into 14 men and 14 women, will go to speed climbers.

  • How many countries will be represented in climbing in Paris?

Each National Olympic Committee, representing a diverse range of countries, can have a maximum of two men and two women qualify for each event (Boulder & Lead, Speed). The official number of countries represented in Sport Climbing will be live at the end of June 2024. The final quotas are awaiting assignment after the conclusion of the Olympic Qualifier Series Part II: Budapest. This global representation in the event not only showcases the universality of climbing but also fosters a sense of connection and engagement among climbing fans worldwide.

  • What will the competitions look like?

Check out this short and simple video the official Olympic Committee published explaining how the climbing competitions will work in Paris and how they will determine a winner.

  • What are the dates for watching Climbing?

The Sport Climbing portion of the Olympic Games will take place over six days, starting Monday, August 5th, and ending Saturday, August 10th.

Times are listed as UTC+2:00

  • Monday, 5 August – 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Men’s Semi-final Boulder, Women’s Speed Seeding and Elimination Rounds

  • Tuesday, 6 August – 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Women’s Boulder Semi-final,
Men’s Speed Seeding and Elimination Rounds

  • Wednesday, 7 August – 10:00 AM to 1:15 PM

Men’s Semi-Final Lead, Women’s Speed Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals

  • Thursday, 8 August – 10:00 AM to 1:15 PM

Women’s Semi-final Lead, Men’s Speed Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals

  • Friday, 9 August – 10:15 AM to 1:20 PM

Men’s Boulder Final, Men’s Lead Final

  • Saturday, 10 August – 10:15 AM to 1:20 PM

Women’s Boulder Final, Women’s Lead Final

  • Who is representing the US in Paris?

US Speed Climbers Emma Hunt, Piper Kelly, and Samuel Watson have qualified. In Boulder, lead athletes Natalia Grossman, Jesse Grupper, and Colin Duffy have qualified. These athletes qualified in 2023 at either the FSC World Championship Bern 2023 or the Pan American Games 2023.

  • How many athletes can still qualify for the US and globally?
    [as of June 23, all spots have been claimed with the final spots going to Brooke Raboutou and Zach Hammer]

One quota spot remains for US females in the Boulder and Lead discipline. The four females competing for that spot are Brooke Raboutou (2020 Olympic Climber), Anastasia “Annie” Sanders, Kyra Condie (2020 Olympic Climber), and Kylie Cullen.

One quota spot remains for US males in the Speed competition. Three men, John Brosler, Zach Hammer, and Noah Bratschi, are competing in the Olympic Qualifier Series set to wrap up on June 23rd for the final spot.

Overall, 16 out of 40 athletes, eight from each gender, have qualified for Boulder and Lead. Seven men and seven women, out of 14 for each gender, have qualified for Speed.

Get ready because the 2024 Paris Olympics will be here before you know it, and 68 climbers, 40 in boulder and lead and 28 in Speed, will take the floor at the Le Bourget Climbing Venue just outside Paris, France, and fight for gold. The Le Bourget Climbing Venue is a state-of-the-art facility designed specifically for sport climbing, making it the perfect stage for the world’s best climbers to showcase their skills. With Speed separated from boulder and lead, you’ll witness the fastest climbers from around the globe go head to head. Boulder and lead athletes will vie to solve problems faster and climb higher than their competitors, aiming to score up to 200 points across both disciplines. Check out the IFSC Climbing Instagram for pictures of the venue, and read the pinned posts for more information on the Olympic qualification process, speed format guide, and boulder & lead format guide. The countdown is on, and it’s time to get excited to cheer on the climbers as they display incredible strength and athleticism!

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Everything You Need to Know about USA Team Trials 2024

From March 5th to 8th, 2024, a group of the top female and male American climbers gathered at the brand new Sportrock Climbing Centers Rio in Gaithersburg, MD, to vie for their spots on the U.S. National Team. The competition was divided into three disciplines: bouldering, sport climbing, and speed climbing. Bouldering involves climbing short, difficult routes without the use of ropes. Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock for protection. Speed climbing is a race to the top of a 15-meter wall. Let’s dive into what went down daily in Gaithersburg and then recap the results.

 

Weekend Breakdown

With the results out of the way, what did the competitors face over the weekend leading up to the final roster selection? Depending on the discipline(s) they competed in and their success, they could have climbed anywhere between one and four days.

 

Tuesday, March 5th: Speed and Lead

On Tuesday morning, Speed Trials began with a Benchmark round. Following the benchmark round, 16 women and 22 men competed in the qualification round in the early afternoon. In the evening, eight women and 16 men competed in the finals.

 

Tuesday also marked the start of the lead qualification round, which was split into speed qualifications and finals. Thirty-two men and twenty-four women competed in the qualification rounds, each having to climb two set routes.

 

Wednesday, March 6th: Lead Semis and Finals

Wednesday was all about lead. In the morning, 25 women and 25 men faced down their one route as the competition format shifted to onsight (with isolation). In the evening, the top 8 men and women advancing from semis competed in lead finals.

 

Thursday, March 7th: Boulder Qualifications

Thursday was a late start day, with no climbing in the morning. Every round of the boulder competition was an onsight format with isolation. Thirty-one women and 35 men checked in to isolation and competed in the first round.

 

Friday, March 8th: Boulder Semis and Finals

On the morning of the last day of competition, twenty men and twenty women advanced to the semi-finals. The field then narrowed to six men and six women for the finals.

 

2024 Team Trials Results

male climber climbing in an indoor climbing gym

While many new National Team Members saw themselves at the top of the podium at the end of the weekend, finishing first was not the deciding factor for the newest USA Team members. USA Climbing keeps track of elite competitor rankings via a points system. This system awards points based on the competitor’s performance in various pre-determined competitions, including the Team Trials. The more points a competitor earns, the higher their ranking. At the end of this weekend, two new females and males joined the boulder, lead, and speed 2024 rosters based on their points standing. The other 2024 National Team Rosters climbers have pre-qualified through different events, such as the U.S. National Championships, ranking among the world’s elite, or qualifying for the Olympics.

 

Boulder

Walking away from the weekend are two happy men and women who added their names to the 2024 Boulder National Team. Melina Costanza and Helen Gillett (trials bouldering champion) will join Kyra Condie, Natalia Grossman, Brooke Raboutou, and Annie Sanders on the World Cup Circuit this year. The World Cup Circuit is a series of international climbing competitions, where the best climbers from around the world compete for the top spot. On the men’s side, Dillon Countryman and Hugo Hoyer (men’s trials bouldering champion) will join Colin Duffy and Jesse Grupper. These four men will represent the USA in the World Cup Circuit, showcasing their skills and competing against the world’s best climbers.

 

Lead

For the women, Annie Sanders took the gold and earned a spot along with Melina Costanza on the 2024 Lead National Team. Annie’s performance was nothing short of spectacular, as she flawlessly navigated the challenging route, showcasing her strength and agility. The rest of the women’s Lead National Team roster is as follows: Kyra Condie, Kylie Cullen, Natalia Grossman, and Brooke Raboutou. These women, each with their unique climbing style and strengths, are sure to make a formidable team. Declan Osgood and Hugo Hoyer went first and second in the lead portion of the team trials, earning their spots on the 2024 Lead National team alongside Jesse Grupper and Colin Duffy. Their performances were a testament to their skill and dedication, as they tackled the difficult route with precision and speed.

 

Speed

Sophia Curcio and Kaitlyn Bone, the first and second-place finishers in the women’s speed trials, will join Emma Hunt and Piper Kelly on the 2024 Speed National Team. Noah Bratschi, the men’s Speed winner at the Team trials, and Zachary Hammer, the fourth-place finisher, will join John Brosler and Sam Watson to round out the men on the 2024 Speed National Team Roster.

 

And that’s a wrap on the thrilling and adrenaline-pumping 2024 USA National Team Trials! It was an electrifying weekend for the athletes and the newly opened host gym, Sportrock Rio, and a riveting watch for all spectators and climbing fans via the live stream on Outside Watch. (Head to Outside Watch to check out the archived live streams from the event!) Get ready to be on the edge of your seat as the newest team members and seasoned veterans tackle the global competition in the upcoming World Cup Series and in Paris at the 2024 Olympics!

 

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Paris Olympics 2024

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2020 Olympics Postponed

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America’s First Olympic Climbing Team

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Olympic Sport Climbing

As I’m sure many of you have heard, rock climbing will be making its Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games this summer with four (4) incredible days of climbing starting on Tuesday, August 4 until Friday, August 7! This is a major step forward for our sport, and will introduce a whole new audience to the wonderful world of rock climbing. As we approach the start of the 2020 Games, Rock Spot Climbing will be your one-stop-shop to learn all about the format, the athletes, and the stories we will see in Tokyo!

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