Sport Climbing's Road to Paris 2024: More Medals, More Challenges

Sport climbing's debut at the Tokyo Olympics faced criticism due to its format. Athletes had to compete in a combined event of bouldering, lead, and speed. Heading to Paris 2024, optimism prevails with an extra medal for the speed discipline. Athlete health concerns, especially regarding RED-S, remain crucial.

Sport climbing's debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games was a bittersweet experience, garnering criticism from athletes about the format. However, the upcoming 2024 Paris Games bring more optimism with an extra gold medal available.

In Tokyo, both male and female competitors had a single event that combined bouldering, lead, and speed. This forced athletes to train for disciplines outside their expertise. 'It was a bit strange because we were given only one medal and so decided to combine the three disciplines together, which was a bit complicated,' said Marco Scolaris, president of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC).

Despite the initial discomfort, the sport's debut as a spectacle and its growing global popularity means that in Paris, the speed competition will be separate from bouldering and lead. This change comes after notable performances like Sam Watson's world record in the speed discipline.

However, a pressing issue is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), where athletes dangerously limit calorie intake. To address this, the IFSC has introduced monitoring and random testing. Many young climbers are in their teens, and the IFSC urges caution and proper guidance to prioritize health over winning at any cost.