Brooke Raboutou is one of the favourites getting a medal in Tokyo based on her extreme progress in 2021. Including one Speed comp, her worst result out of six WC's was #12. Prior to this year, her best IFSC senior result was #15 in Lead in the World Championship in 2019. Outdoors, she has during the last year done seven boulders 8A+ to 8B+ including one flash.

Sebastien Berthe, one of the leading multi-pitch and big wall climbers in the world, has done the first repeat of Edu Marin’s 200 meter Arco Iris 8c+ in Montserrat. The Belgien confirms the 8c+ but thinks the other hard pitches were one grade easier. Still, it is one of the hardest MPs in the world. (c) Julia Cassou

” Arco Iris is my hardest achievement in multipitch climbing for sure. This ancient aid route is really sustained and incredible: it follows an overhanging corner for 5 pitches (6c, 8b+, 8c+, 8b, 8a+). Edu rebolted the line with huge runouts so the freeclimb does not bother the aid, which is really important there in Montserrat. I took the longest whipper of my life, about 25m, trying hard on the 8c+... This makes it really hard for the mental, but I think he did a great job there! Despite some loosy rock, the holds are crazy and the climbing is great and so pumpy!

Sunday was my fourth day working the route, and I was'nt sure I had a chance this day. Anyway, I went "a muerte" with my belgian friend Baptiste Verdin as belayer and partner. I sent the first pitch pretty easily compared to the previous times. On my first go on the 8c+, I fell where I broke the holds the last time. I worked on the beta a bit more and took 2 hours of rest. On my second try, I climbed really well but felt more and more tired while progressing on the route. I reached the point where I fell before and shout loudly while doing the move. I really was at the limit. During the last 10m, I fought hard at every move, probably one of the biggest fight of my life! On the two following pitches, I gave my best. Despite the pump I sent them directly. After about 9 hours on the route we were on the top of the wall :-) I was so psyched and happy about it!”

Magnus Midtbö, one of the best competition climbers some ten years ago, when he also was #4 in the World Champions, runs one of the most popular Climbing Youtube channels. Here he gives his 20 Pro tips including talking about eating disorder.

Amanda Watts, partner and sports dietitian to Olympian Tom O'Halloron, has reported on Insta about how the athletes can prepare the last five days living in the Olympic village. We asked Amanda if she could give more details and here is what she reported.

"1. Teams could set up training camps before they head into the village. They are a great option but required being able to cover costs of hotel quarantine while in the training camp and daily Covid testing, venue hire etc. So access to these depends on how much funding a country has for sport climbing. And what athletes want to do also.

2. Athletes are in the village for the minimum amount of time possible. I think its five days before and you could request two days earlier if you were coming from a country currently in winter, to have two extra days to get used to the heat. You have access to a strength training gym and your own hang boards etc only for those two extra days.

3. The Australians Tom O’Halloran and Oceania McKenzie arrived on the 27th of July. For all climbing athletes, the official training days and access to the climbing wall, warm-up bouldering wall, warm-up speed wall etc start on the evening of 29th July. They have five evening sessions on the wall before the comp. Everything has been organised to minimise Covid risk, take care of the athletes and give time the time they need to train. The bouldering warm-up wall is pretty huge, 20m wide!

4. The climbing athletes in the village are recovering from the travel, getting in the zone, going for a run, having a light finger board, resting, watching other sports on the TV viewing areas, eating food and getting themselves sorted for the practice days and comp days."

It should be noted that team USA did bring a portable wall that they have set up in their Olympic village.

Here is a print screen from one betting company. How they have set up the odds is unclear, and hear are some comments:

The chances for a Speed specialist winning must be at least 999, not counting Khaibullin. Colin and O’Halloran have 51 but I think Colin has at least ten times bigger chance of winning. The Germans Hojer and Megos should, at least, shift positions.

Here is a print screen from one betting company. How they have set up the odds is unclear, and here are some comments:

The chances for a Speed specialist winning must be at least 1:999. Shauna Coxey and Jessica Pilz are a long way from being favourite #3 and #4 in my book. Instead, Nonaka, Rogora, Raboutou and Seo should all be top 6 in the rankings. #7 in my rankings is Meshkova. The worst odds of all females has been given to Sterkenburg who should have at least 1:99999.

Jernej Kruder reports on Insta that he is in Tokyo as a reserv athlete. “Chances to compete are equal to none, due to a million things that should turn in my good.”

Kruder tells 8a that he knows there are more reserves but not how the selection works. “My team is isolated in a special hotel. We also have a special process to train in some gyms alone.

There is no official IFSC info in regards how the reserves were selected but Kruder was the highest ranked in the Combined World Champion that did not make it. The second highest ranked male was Hanwool Kim from Korea.

Among the female, Speed specialist Di Niu from China was in Kruder’s position in 2019 followed by YueTong Zhang also from China, not counting Jenya Kazbekova who is recovering from an injury. Kazbekova has confirmed to 8a that she would have been a reserve.

In practice, the reserves will only participate if the Olympians fails a Covid test or get injured prior to the registration. If Niu get a spot and there will be five female Speed specialists, the chance/risk for any of the getting a medal is getting closer to 50 %, from a mathematical point of view.

Cameron Hörst, who did his first 9a+ in May, has done his fourth 9a, Mutation at Wild Iris. It was set up by BJ Tilden in 2016 and has only been repeated by Jonathan Siegrist before. (c) Eric Hörst

"YEAHHHH, that's right a 100 foot, 80 move HARD route a Wild iris. This place provides!! Breakdown is hard 8c to a good rest. Rest holds are good but your core is still getting worked and you're totally on your arms. Then you have really powerful and resistant 8b+ to the top! The last hard move is so intense, blind deadpoint to an easy to miss three-finger pocket. Sheesh that move gave me grief. Route is logistically contrived, but if those factors could be removed "mutation" would be famous!"