Beijing, August 14, 2024, The Europe Today: China’s impressive performance in sport climbing at the Paris Olympics has positioned the nation as a potential global powerhouse in the sport, with the ability to lead its development across Asia, according to Marco Scolaris, President of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC).
In the recently concluded Paris Olympics, the Chinese team made a significant breakthrough by securing two silver medals in speed climbing. This marked the second appearance of sport climbing at the Olympics and the first time that speed climbing and combined events (bouldering and lead) were separately featured.
During an interview with Xinhua, Scolaris praised the achievements of Team China, noting, “China equaled the United States in gold medals, which was a great success.” He expressed satisfaction with the silver medals in sport climbing and emphasized that as China continues to develop its sport climbing program, it is poised to become a world-leading climbing powerhouse in the near future.
However, Scolaris acknowledged that in the combined climbing event at the Paris Olympics, Chinese athletes did not reach the finals, indicating a gap between them and the world’s top climbers. “Traditionally, China has always been very strong in speed climbing,” he said. “But bouldering and lead climbing are more complex, requiring not only physical skills but also the mindset to adapt to new routes and boulders in every competition.”
As countries like Indonesia continue to improve their climbing results, China faces increasing competition. Scolaris emphasized the need for China to invest more in coaching and infrastructure to enhance its performance in bouldering and lead climbing.
China has been a key member of the IFSC and has consistently hosted events organized by the federation. This year alone, China has hosted two World Cups and the Paris Olympic qualifying events, and it is set to host the IFSC Youth World Championships and other international competitions later in the year.
Scolaris highlighted China’s strong partnership with the IFSC, stating that events held in China have always been successful. He pointed to the importance of developing climbing infrastructure to raise the overall level of the sport in a country. As an example, he mentioned Innsbruck, Austria, a city with a population of less than 200,000 that boasts one of the best climbing training centers in Europe, attracting enthusiasts and professional athletes from around the world.
Developing robust climbing infrastructure, Scolaris said, would not only benefit China’s athletes by reducing the need for prolonged training abroad but could also have a regional and global impact by attracting talents for exchange. With its large population and vast market, China has the potential to become a sport climbing “hub” in Asia, leading the promotion and development of the sport across the continent.
