(c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11
“ It's incredible!! I succeeded in winning a medal at the Olympic Games! Today we experienced sports history in real time - the first time medals in sport climbing were to be awarded at the Olympic Games.

I set for myself the goal of winning a medal early on. I always articulated this goal, and worked hard and meticulously towards it over the past few years. With this goal in mind, I traveled to Tokyo on the 26th of July and went into qualifications on Tuesday; I achieved two personal bests in the speed competition and won in lead climbing. With this goal in mind, I also went to the Aomi Urban Sports Park today.

Along with Tomoa Narasaki from Japan and Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic, all of the favorites to win were there to fight for the podium. I wanted to show that I am one of the best in the sport.

After an incredibly exhausting day, I have now actually achieved this ambitious goal. I still can't fully process it - so much went against me today.

The placements in speed were unexpectedly distributed; Bassa Mawem, the French speed climber, didn't start due to injury; Tomoa didn't take first place. While I was happy with my performance in bouldering, the result didn't reflect that. I'd almost given up hope of a medal.

During lead climbing, my disappointment was already so great that I channeled all that frustration onto the wall. I had to give everything I had, I knew that - but I didn't believe it would be enough, even with a first place finish.

After I topped out, I didn't even know that I had the medal. Only after our national coach Reini Scherer pointed out to me that I was third could I believe it. What a moment - I won't forget anytime soon.

It was a fight till the end, and lead climbing brought me a medal again - it's just amazing. I feel so incredibly fit in this competition. It obviously doesn't matter how I enter the round - it just always works.

The bronze medal means so much, but I have to process it first. It all happened so fast. I've worked so hard for so long. There's a lot of sweat behind this medal. That means everything to me.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Alberto Ginez Lopez and Nathaniel Coleman on their gold and silver medals!“

Alberto Ginés López started off by first winning in Speed. Interestingly, the 18-year-old had done 15 IFSC comps prior to the Olympics, compared with only 8 events for the one doing second-most. IFSC has published some quotes from the Spaniard.

“It's a dream come true, I didn't expect it at all. I didn't expect to get into the final. A dream come true.

Our goal from the start was to get into the final, we knew it would be difficult, and then we were in the final. A few things hadn't gone to plan, and we just knew we had to do the best we can.

I was doing some calculating, with the points, and then I decided not to get into that, that it wouldn't be good for me. I just decided to do as well as I could, and I thought 'If I do well, I do well, and if I don't, I don't.'”(c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11

Alberto Ginés López (ESP) is the first Olympic Gold medallist in Sport Climbing. Nathaniel Coleman (USA) took silver. Jakob Schubert (AUT) won Bronze. The big favourites for gold, Adam Ondra (CZE) and Tomoa Narasaki, (JPN) narrowly missed the podium. Narasaki's slip in the speed stage final probably cost him the gold.
The lead stage could not have been more dramatic. The routesetters (Adam Pustelnik (POL), Jan Zbranek (CZE), Hiroshi Okano (JPN) and Akito Matsushima (JPN)) set a fantastic final route, that got a Top and on which every climber went into fighting mode.

Adam Ondra and Jakob Schubert both needed to win the stage in order to get a medal. Schubert was last out, after Ondra reached 42+. Alberto Ginés López was #1 overall after having climbed to hold 38+ but could lose the gold to Adam Ondra, depending on the results for Schubert. As Schubert grabbed hold #39, Ondra was in the gold position for some seconds before Schubert, in full control got to hold #43, moving Ondra to 6th position and Alberto getting back his gold. Then Schubert topped out, apparently with power to spare, creating an extraordinary show and drama that will go to the history books. (c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11



Combined Final Results
1 Ginés López Alberto (ESP) 1 * 7 * 4 = 28
2 Coleman Nathaniel (USA) 6 * 1 * 5 = 30
3 Schubert Jakob (AUT) 7 * 5 * 1 = 35
4 Narasaki Tomoa (JPN) 2 * 3 * 6 = 36
5 Mawem Mickael (FRA) 3 * 2 * 7 = 42
6 Ondra Adam (CZE) 4 * 6 * 2 = 48
7 Duffy Colin (USA) 5 * 4 * 3 = 60
- Mawem Bassa (FRA) DNS

Big drama in the Bouldering final where Nathaniel Colman (USA) won with two tops. The ranks 2 - 5 were decided by number of attempts to the zone on the second boulder as they all flashed the first boulder and then flashed the zone on the last boulder. Mickael Mawem was ranked as #2 as he was the only one flashing all three zones.
Adam Ondra, who looked strongest on the last boulder, was ranked #6.
As it stands, it is a totally open affair among Mawem, Narasaki (JPN) and Coleman, all tied with six points and Alberto Ginés López with seven points. By using the qualifying rankings, Alberto will take the gold ahead of Coleman. Jakob Schubert would go from the bottom in the field to a bronze.

1 Mawem Mickael (FRA) 3 * 2 (1T3z 1 3) = 6
2 Narasaki Tomoa (JPN) 2 * 3 (1T3z 1 5) = 6
3 Coleman Nathaniel (USA) 6 * 1 (2T3z 4 4)= 6 (c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11

4 Ginés López Alberto (ESP) 1 * 7 (0T3z 0 9) = 7
5 Duffy Colin (USA) 5 * 4 (1T3z 1 5) = 20
6 Ondra Adam (CZE) 4 * 6 (1T2z 2 2) = 24
7 Schubert Jakob (AUT) 7 * 5 (1T3z 1 7) = 35
8. Mawem Bassa (FRA) - | DNS - | DNS - | - DNS

In the first ever Olympic final stage, Spanish lead specialist Alberto Ginés López took first place in Speed. In his first race, his opponent Colin Duffy (USA) false started, then Ginés López beat Adam Ondra, who had had a free pass to Top 4 after Bassa Mawem’s DNS due to injury. In the final heat, Tomoa Narasaki (JPN) slipped on the so-called Tomoa start, and Ginés López didn’t let his chance pass. The young Spaniard now has excellent chances for a medal due to the multiplication format. In practice, he most probably only needs to be #5 in one of the remaining disciplines.

Mikael Mawem (FRA) placed third, after some slips on his race against Narasaki. Notable was Adam Ondra setting an impressive PB of 6.86s on what might have been the last speed run of his career. Nathaniel Coleman (AUT) finished 6th and Jakob Schubert (AUT) finished 7th. While nothing is decided, Ginés López and Ondra have gotten a great start.

Speed Stage Results

1 Ginés López Alberto 6.42 (c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11
2 Narasaki Tomoa 7.82
3 Mawem Mickael 6.47
4 Ondra Adam 6.86
5 Duffy Colin 6.35
6 Coleman Nathaniel FALL
7 Schubert Jakob WILDCARD
8 Mawem Bassa DNS

Jon Glassberg, 8a member who has done 8C, reports through his Insta, " The bus dropped off the competitors and @adam.ondra walked in like he owned the place. With Bassa out because of an injury, Adam is going to walk into bouldering with at least a 4 ranking. "

Bassa Mawem, who won Speed in great style and secured a position in the final, seemed to have torn his left biceps at the start of the Lead qualification. He let go and did not untie but instead tried to just hold his bicep in place. Most probably he will not take part in the final. As he was ranked as #1 in Speed, the starting order was that he was going to meet the slowest finalists from the qualification, i.e. Adam Ondra. In practice, this would mean, that Ondra automatically will be qualified to the Speed semi.

On their half, of the Speed starting list, are also Colin Duffy and Alberto Gines Lopez, battling for a run against Ondra in the semi. In other words, whoever wins that quarterfinal is almost secured making the Speed finals as Ondra is about one second slower.

The further impact of Bassa's injury is that whoever wins the predicted semi, Tomoa Narasaki against Mickael Mawev, will most probably also win the final. We should not forget that Nathaniel Coleman who faces Mickael in the quarter-final looked like he could make close to six seconds which will set some pressure on Michael to push at his very best.

Due to the multiplication format, the chances for Jakob Schubert taking the gold has dropped significantly, due to Bassa's very unfortunate injury. Most probably, he will now end as #7 and all the others will be moved one step higher in the ranking, with a much greater impact. In theory, Bassa might consider trying to do at least the quarterfinal against Adam Ondra, as he might win such a race even injured.


It should be mentioned that I am not 100 % sure about the thoughts above. It has been said in the media that if Bassa retires, Alex Megos could possibly take his position. That would be very strange as then how would Bassa be ranked overall? Another option could be that the Speed starting order could be redone and Bassa is ranked as #8, meaning Michael would get the free ticket to the semi.

1. Tomoa Narasaki JPN 1 * 1 * 4 = 4
2. Adam Ondra CZE 4 * 3 * 1 = 12
3. Colin Duffy USA 2 * 4 * 3 = 24
4. Michael Mawem FRA 3 * 2 * 6 = 36
5. Jakob Schubert AUT 7 * 5 * 2 = 70
6. Alberto Gines Lopez 5 * 7 * 5 = 175
7. Nathaniel Coleman 6 * 6 * 7 = 252
8. Bassa Mawem FRA DNS

It might feel strange that the qualification winner Michael Mawem is just predicted to be #4. The reason for this is simply that it has been predicted that he will lose against Narasaki in the Speed semifinal. If he instead wins that race and then also wins the final, and all other predictions remain the same, he will be runner up after Narasaki overall. In the same way, if Alberto Gines Lopez wins against Colin Duffy in their Speed quarterfinal, and all other predictions remain the same, Alberto will get the Olympic bronze and Colin drops to #5.

The screenshot is from Olympics.com. It is noteworthy to mention that if Janja had dropped one hold earlier, Viktoriia Meshkova had knocked out Anouck Jaubert from the final.

As sensationally two female Speed specialists (Aleksandra Miroslaw and Anouck Jaubert) made it to the final, one of them could get a bronze. Furthermore, Janja Garnbret, 7th-best in the Speed quali among the finalists, will run against Jaubert, #2 in the quali, in the 1/4-final meaning, Garnbret probably finishes #5 in Speed. Prior to the Olympics, it was expected that Janja would be #2 in Speed in the final making it almost impossible for the other to reach her.

If Chaehyon Seo wins Lead and Garnbret again is #4, Seo will get the gold being #3 in Bouldering even if Garnbret wins in a superior style. The prediction is still that Garnbret gets the gold and that there will be no Speed specialists, but below is also an example of a possible sensational outcome.

1. Chaehyon Seo 8 * 3 * 1 = 24
2. Janja Garnbret 7 * 1 * 4 = 28
3. Anouck Jaubert 1 * 7 * 7 = 49