At the Paris Olympics American climber Sam Watson breaks own world record in speed sport climbing, completing the course in an astonishing 4.75 seconds. This achievement surpasses his previous record of 4.79 seconds, set at the Wujiang World Cup in April. However, the triumph was bittersweet, as Watson’s record-breaking run came during an elimination heat against his close friend and teammate, Zach Hammer.
“It sucks, there’s no better way to put that,” Watson reflected. “I love him, he’s like a brother to me. We’ve trained so much together. It means so much to be on the stage with him, regardless of how that ends up.”
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Sam Watson Victory Journey For sport climbing
Watson’s journey to breaking his record wasn’t smooth. He admitted that his performance in the qualification run, which determined the seedings, was not his best. This misstep led him to face Hammer earlier in the competition than he had hoped.
“I think I honestly had a little bit of fault in the fact that I couldn’t get a faster second run and get the one seed going in,” Watson said. “But, I mean, he really did leave it all out there, and I hope he’s proud of himself.”
Despite the emotional toll, Hammer expressed pride in his performance. “It sucks that it happened to be at the biggest event,” Hammer said. “Although, I’m very proud of myself, and I’m very happy that I — even though I’m tearing up now — I really enjoyed this whole experience.”
Sport Climbing Combined Olympics
The sport climbing venue in Paris has proven to be exceptionally fast, with several athletes setting personal and Olympic records. Just before Watson’s run, Leonardo Veddriq of Indonesia had matched Watson’s previous record of 4.79 seconds, underscoring the high level of competition.
Watson’s achievement was met with immediate congratulations from Hammer, highlighting the camaraderie between the two athletes. “I hit the buzzer at first, and then I looked over, I gave a salute to the crowd, and then I realized, ‘Man, this is against Zach,'” Watson said.
The Paris Olympics have seen numerous records in speed climbing, partly due to the event’s separation from the bouldering and lead disciplines. Unlike the Tokyo Games, where one gold medal was awarded based on combined scores from all three disciplines, Paris will award separate gold medals for the combined bouldering and lead events and the standalone speed event.
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Poland Aleksandra Miroslaw Breaks Record in Speed Climbing
In the women’s competition, Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw also set new benchmarks, twice breaking her own world record in speed climbing. The new mark stands at 6.06 seconds, further demonstrating the rapid pace of advancement in the sport.
As the sport climbing continues to evolve, athletes like Sam Watson and Zach Hammer exemplify the spirit of competition and camaraderie. While the records they set are impressive, it’s the stories of friendship and mutual respect that truly inspire.
