Campbell Harrison and Oceania Mackenzie earn Olympic berths

Campbell Harrison and Oceania Mackenzie, both from Australia, won the Boulder & Lead Olympic Oceania qualifier in Melbourne. Harrison has competed actively in the World Cup since 2017 and three times he has made it to the semifinal in Lead. Mackenzie was #7 in the Boulder World Cup in 2023 as well as in the World Championship. © Victor Hall/IFSC

Mackenzie said: “I’m super excited to go to Paris. I had a great time competing here at home with all my family around, so I’m feeling pretty good right now. There are two things I am looking forward to at the Games. Watching other sports is one because we didn’t get the chance to do that at the last Olympics, and secondly preparing properly. Because of the lockdowns my preparations last time around were not very enjoyable and not what I had wanted. A crowd as well is definitely going to bring up the vibes.”

Harrison commented:“I’ve never experienced emotions like this at an event before. It really is all or nothing and I finished the first Boulder and was almost already in tears and had to use all the experience I had to pull myself back in for Boulder two. Boulder three I felt was an opportunity for me to gain some points as it was really my style, but it just did not click, I think the pressure of the moment started to weigh on me. But after that I had a much clearer mind and approach, and the Lead route was everything I hoped it would be.”