Sport climbing appeared first during the 2020 Summer Olympics, a landmark moment for the sport and its community. The competition integrates three disciplines, bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing, into one event. Sport climbing will be a compulsory event during the 2028 Summer Olympics. It will be considered a discretionary sport during the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. This marks an increase in the sport’s popularity as it appeals to athletes, spectators, and people worldwide.
The climbing events at the Olympic Games have seen outstanding performances, with nations like Slovenia, Japan, and the United States emerging as strong contenders. It is clear that innovation in Sport Climbing is likely to lead to even more successful outcomes in the upcoming editions of the Olympics.
The Bid for Olympic Inclusions
In 2015, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) proposed adding climbing to the Summer Olympics. This proposal aimed to highlight the diversity and excitement of modern sports. By September of that year, sport climbing was shortlisted alongside other sports like baseball, softball, skateboarding, surfing, and karate.
In 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board supported all five shortlisted sports for inclusion in the Olympics. On August 3, the IOC officially approved sport climbing as part of the 2020 Summer Olympics, marking a historic moment for the sport.
The Competition Format has evolved.
In the 2020 Olympics, the sport climbing competition format combined bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing into one event. This decision was controversial within the climbing community, as it did not fully showcase the unique skills required for each discipline. However, the IFSC explained that the IOC had only allocated one gold medal per gender, and they opted to include all three disciplines to demonstrate climbing’s versatility.
Despite the mixed reactions, the competition format helped to introduce climbing to a broader audience.The format further progressed in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Speed climbing became a standalone event, allowing athletes to focus on their specific strengths in each discipline. This change was celebrated by climbers and fans alike, as it provided a more accurate representation of the sport.
Technical Information: The Routes and Challenges
Olympic-level sport climbing is an intense and highly technical pursuit. The routes are designed to challenge the best climbers in the world, and each discipline has specific guidelines.
- Lead Climbing: The lead climbing routes are set at a difficulty range between 8c (5.14b) and 9a (5.14d) for men and women. These grades reflect the extreme difficulty and endurance required to scale the routes.
- Bouldering: In bouldering, the difficulty of the routes is set according to the V-grade system. Men’s bouldering problems range between V10 (7C+) and V14 (8B+), while women’s issues fall between V9 (7C) and V12 (8A+).
- The discipline of speed climbing boils down to an absolute test of acceleration and precision. Competitors attempt to complete traveling up a predefined route in the shortest time possible.The fastest climbers in the world can complete the route in under six seconds.
The setting of these routes is a highly technical process, and route setters must ensure that the climbs are challenging yet achievable for elite athletes. However, due to the high difficulty level, the exact grade of each route can vary slightly, and some routes are tested only during the competition.
Olympic Events: 2020 vs. 2024
Differences can be observed in the Olympic climbing events from the year 2020 to 2024. 2020 held the event in a combined format, where athletes competed in bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing for one medal.In contrast, the 2024 Olympics provide more clarity in that speed climbing is now an individual event, separated from the combined format. Here is a comparison of the climbing events for the 2020 and 2024 Olympics:
| Event | 2020 Olympics | 2024 Olympics |
| Men’s Combined (S, B, L) | Yes | No |
| Men’s Combined (B, L) | Yes | Yes |
| Men’s Speed | Yes | Yes |
| Women’s Combined (S, B, L) | Yes | No |
| Women’s Combined (B, L) | Yes | Yes |
| Women’s Speed | Yes | Yes |
This structure ensures that each discipline is adequately represented and the athletes’ skills are more accurately assessed.
Olympic Records in Sport Climbing
Sport climbing has already seen some remarkable performances in the Olympic Games. The following table highlights some of the notable records set during the Olympic competitions:
| Event | Round | Climber | Games | Date | Record |
| Men’s Combined (Speed) | Qualification | Bassa Mawem | 2020 Tokyo | 3 August 2021 | Olympic |
| Women’s Combined (Speed) | Qualification | Aleksandra Mirosław | 2020 Tokyo | 4 August 2021 | Olympic |
| Women’s Combined (Speed) | Final | Aleksandra Mirosław | 2020 Tokyo | 6 August 2021 | World |
| Women’s Speed | Qualification | Aleksandra Mirosław | 2024 Paris | 5 August 2024 | World |
| Men’s Speed | Bronze Medal | Sam Watson | 2024 Paris | 8 August 2024 | World |
Medal Tally: The Leading Nations
As of the 2024 Olympics, Slovenia has emerged as the most successful nation in Olympic climbing, with two gold medals. Below is the updated medal table for sport climbing:
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Slovenia (SLO) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Poland (POL) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Indonesia (INA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Spain (ESP) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Japan (JPN) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | United States (USA) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | China (CHN) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Austria (AUT) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | (9 nations) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
The medal tally shows a competitive landscape where multiple nations are vying for the top spots, with Slovenia leading the charge.
Notable Climbers and Their Achievements
The Olympic climbing events have featured some of the most talented climbers in the world. Here are a few notable climbers and their achievements in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics:
Men’s Combined (2020)
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2020 Tokyo | Alberto Ginés López | Nathaniel Coleman | Jakob Schubert |
Men’s Speed (2024)
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2024 Paris | Veddriq Leonardo | Wu Peng | Sam Watson |
Women’s Combined (2020)
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2020 Tokyo | Janja Garnbret | Miho Nonaka | Akiyo Noguchi |
Women’s Speed (2024)
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2024 Paris | Aleksandra Mirosław | Deng Lijuan | Aleksandra Kałucka |
Conclusion: A Bright Future for Sport Climbing
Sport climbing has quickly become a beloved addition to the Summer Olympics, captivating athletes and fans with its blend of athleticism, strategy, and speed. The sport’s Olympic journey has been a remarkable success, from its debut in 2020 to its evolution in 2024, when speed climbing became a separate event. As sport climbing continues to grow in popularity, its inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics as a mandatory sport further solidifies its place in the Olympic program.
The future of Olympic sport climbing looks promising. With every competition, the sport continues to push the boundaries of what is possible on the wall. Fans can look forward to thrilling performances, fierce competition, and the inspiring journeys of athletes who make sport climbing one of the most exciting events in the Summer Games.