Page 13 - 2021 AMA Summer

Olympic Champions
(Credit Natalie Berry)
the ceremony, trying to get some tangible sense of what they’d achieved. Tears flowed and selfies were taken with Sport Climbing’s first Olympic heroes. Perhaps the biggest challenge for athletes was adjusting to the media circus and fulfilling an immediate post-performance debrief which was broadcast to the world — no matter how well or poorly they had performed.
There were stand-out moments when an athlete’s performance prompted onlookers to momentarily forget the rules and cheer; sheer, impulsive joy trumping muted restraint. Despite the lack of spectators, the world tuned in to watch on their screens. Speed climbing turned heads; an ironic twist given the general backlash in response to its inclusion as the lesser-practiced discipline.
Major news outlets reported on the action, getting to grips with the quirks of the sport and its unique lingo. Climbing also enjoyed a moment in the spotlight on Google, as their Trends account reported that Sport Climbing was the top trending Olympic sport in Google Search on day 11 and 12 of the Games worldwide.
Months later, many climbing walls are reporting an uptake in customers who cite the Games as the impetus for their first visit. Young climbers now have their sights set on Paris 2024 or LA 2028, perhaps inspired by Team GB’s Shauna Coxsey, or gold medallists Janja Garnbret of Slovenia and Alberto Ginés López of Spain. But
it’s worth remembering that many of the athletes who competed in Tokyo are also among the world’s best on rock, including the world-famous Adam Ondra. Some Olympians are now enjoying a break from the rigour and routine of competition while continuing to achieve hard ascents outdoors.
The skills of past pioneers were revo- lutionised and carried higher in Tokyo: Johnny Dawes’ dynamism was mimicked on the Boulder wall; Lynn Hill’s vision and tenacity played out in Lead; Soviet-born devotion to Speed yielded ever narrower margins and new Olympic and World Records. Yuji Hirayama, Japan’s first competition-turned-rock-star, looked on as a new generation inspired people to harness the natural instinct to climb, to go
one hold higher, one step further or simply to reach beyond their comfort zone.
With a successful Olympic debut now behind us and more eyes on our sport than ever before, more funding and opportunities are likely to make their way towards both elite athletes and grassroots participation schemes. It’s possible that newcomers to the sport will also feel the pull of adventure and decide to head outside. Some critics of climbing Olympic status have voiced worries about protecting our crags from overcrowding – a valid concern, but one which current custodians of popular crags will take seriously, should numbers rise.
As a young climber, I heard mutterings about climbing potentially becoming
Jessica PILZ of Austria
(Credit Daniel Gajda/IFSC)
Tomoa NARASAKI of Japan
(Credit Dimitris Tosidis/IFSC)
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