French climbing Mawem celebrates birthday with thrilling Games debut

TOKYO, Aug. 3 (Reuters) – Frenchman Mickael Mawem celebrated his 31st birthday in style on Tuesday, sweeping a nervous start to lead the peloton ahead of the final round of climbing qualifiers at the Tokyo Games in a sensational Olympic start for the sport .

The top eight athletes with the best combined score from three climbing events: speed, vertical sprint; the block, which tests problem-solving skills on low walls; and in the lead, a technical climb against the clock – will reach Thursday’s final.

Twenty of the world’s best climbers shone in their first appearance on the Olympic stage, as the late afternoon sun descended on the mostly empty grandstands of Aomi Urban Sports Park with fans absent in the middle strict pandemic restrictions.

More than a third of the peloton set personal bests in the opening sprint event, with Bassa Mawem, 36, Mickael’s brother and oldest competitor, sprinting in his best time of 5.45 seconds , just short of the world record of 5.20. .

Bassa, a speed specialist, however, was unable to resolve any of the bouldering issues – one of which required hanging upside down from a ledge to resolve – falling to third place in the standings ahead of the lead section. .

Mickael, born August 3, stumbled in his first sprint race but managed to recover strongly on his second attempt, before dominating the bouldering event.

With the sunset on the site, Mickael solved three of the four bouldering issues, more than any other competitor, placing him just ahead of Japanese competitor Tomoa Narasaki at the top of the standings.

Another top competitor of the Czech Republic, Adam Ondra, finished 18th in sprint, his weakest discipline, but made a big effort to finish sixth before the lead event, where he traditionally excelled.

17-year-old American Colin Duffy, the Games’ youngest climber, also performed well, placing fourth, but compatriot Nathaniel Coleman finished 13th, out of the top eight before the final section.

The unusual combined format – the climbing equivalent of a triathlon – has pushed athletes out of their comfort zones, with the ranking system creating plenty of chances for surprises.

The inclusion of rock climbing in the Olympics as well as events such as surfing and skateboarding is an attempt by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to broaden the appeal of the world’s largest sporting event.

He brings to the Games a new breed of athletes, some of whom are good at both competing and climbing rugged outdoor routes.

The sport has become an alternative to traditional gyms as rock climbing walls appear in urban centers offering full body workouts to a younger population drawn to its associations with adventure.

While the combined format favors all-rounders in Tokyo, rock climbing will be split into speed and a combined bouldering and lead event at the Paris Games in 2024.

Reporting by Sam Nussey and Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Lincoln Feast / Ed Osmond / Ken Ferris

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