LA Olympics should offer medals for all three sport climbing disciplines, say Japanese climbers
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Climbing legend Yuji Hirayama believes more can be done to improve the sport at the next Olympics.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
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SINGAPORE – While sport climbing has gained popularity with its appearances at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, Japanese climbers Futaba Ito and Yuji Hirayama believe that more can be done for future editions of the Games.
The duo, who are taking part in the Aug 23-Sept 1 Singapore Urban Sports & Fitness Festival,
During its Games debut in Tokyo, all three disciplines were merged into one event, sparking criticism from the climbing community, with American veteran Lynn Hill likening speed climbing’s inclusion to “asking a middle-distance runner to compete in the sprint”.
At Paris 2024, speed climbing was contested as a separate category, with the International Olympic Committee also offering medals for the combined boulder and lead event.
But both Ito and Hirayama feel that all three formats should be medal events on its own, as each showcases different strengths.
Speed climbing sees competitors racing one on one up a 15m wall, with Indonesia’s Veddriq Leonardo emerging as the men’s champion and the only Asian climber to win a gold in Paris.
Bouldering sees athletes climb 4.5m walls without ropes in a limited time frame and fewest attempts possible, while in the lead, roped athletes climb as high as they can on a 15m wall in six minutes without having seen the route ahead of time.
Ito, 22, said via an interpreter: “Compared to the Tokyo Olympics, the Paris Games had a lot more people watching and that’s a very good improvement. For the next edition, I hope that they will be able to show the strengths of the people who are good at bouldering and lead climbing.”
While sport climbing legend Hirayama, who has been in the sport for over three decades, likened its Olympic inclusion as a big “explosion”, he hopes for it to be even better in Los Angeles.
The 55-year-old said: “Just as Futaba said, three disciplines (to be) separate. Every specialist can focus on showing us a good performance. I think it may make a much better future for our sport.”
With the rapid growth of the sport, Ito believes that more women are taking part in climbing.
But she also hopes that they do not see it only as a way to lose weight, saying: “My advice to the young girls who are keen to try, to do it healthily and not just focus on being the thinnest possible.”
The bouldering fiesta at Ngee Ann City is headlined by PSA-02, an Aug 24-25 bouldering competition featuring six categories with a total prize pool of $12,500. There were also meet-and-greet sessions with Ito, Hirayama and South Korean climber Kim Ja-in.
Kenneth Ng, founder of organiser Project Send, said: “We are thrilled to build a festival and space where climbers can learn new skills, challenge themselves and unlock new perspectives through our international athletes.”
Hirayama said: “It’s really great having it in front of Orchard Road, because this way people can feel and see it. If it’s just outdoors, only people who go up to the mountain will be able to see. In Japan, we have a strong mountaineering culture for a long time. We’ve climbed most of the mountains already and we realised that there are no more mountains to explore. So this is a way to explore, like a new dimension of adventure.”
The urban sports festival also includes other events across the country such as the Lakeside BMX Jam, a BMX freestyle competition on Aug 24 and 25 at the covered skatepark at Jurong Lake Gardens, which will also host Mass Singapore, an all-age, all-skill-level street and park skateboarding contest on Aug 31 and Sept 1.
There is also a Hyrox competition at Singapore Expo on Aug 31 and Sept 1.
