Amongst the other sports that’ll be featured in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics to be held in 2021, we’ll witness the world’s best climbers in a wide-ranging roster consisting of recognized and prospective Olympians, rock, and outdoor climbers.
Competitive climbing in the Olympics necessitates specialized proficiency regardless of the expertise in the various divisions of climbing. Climbers may have to deal with the plastic handholds and footholds on the climbing wall, tension, scores, crowds, and judges.
The 40 climbers (20 men and 20 women) that qualify for the upcoming Olympics would have sampled the elite skills, milieus, and peripheral elements clouding tournament climbing. However, they’ll be in contention to showcase their talents and flair at the Olympics.
The climbing slots aren’t filled, but we have a list of those that have qualified for the Olympics. Climbing Apex presents to you the 2020 Tokyo Olympics climbing team.
Men Olympics Climbing Team
1. Nathaniel Coleman
Country: United States
Age: 24
Instagram: @nathaniel.coleman
Nathaniel Coleman is a recognized American boulder, renowned for his consecutive triumphs at 2016, 2017, and 2018 USA Climbing’s Bouldering Nationals.
However, his skills have been proven beyond bouldering, finishing second at the USA Climbing’s Bouldering Nationals and twelfth at the World Championships’ combined discipline.
Coleman booked his Olympic place following fourth-place lead climbing finals and sixth-place finishes in speed climbing and bouldering finals. Coleman’s exhibition of strength and flexibility while climbing makes it possible for him to adapt to indoor climbing rigors.
2. Colin Duffy
Country: United States
Age: 17
Instagram: @colinclimbs
Featuring in the Olympics at 17 is quite impressive, but what’s more? Duffy’s impressive record regardless of his age — narrowly finishing fourth at the 2019 American Combined Invitational.
He also claimed the silver medal at the 2020 American Combined Invitational and qualified for the Olympics following his triumph at the Pan-American Championships.
Nevertheless, Dufy will be the youngest American Olympian at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics climbing team, making him a joy to watch. His age is a good factor, which makes adaptability and improvement easier for him.
3. Ludovico Fossali
Country: Italy
Age: 23
Instagram: @ludovicofossali
Fossali’s most significant advantage is his speed, claiming a bronze medal at the World Cup Speed Discipline in 2019 and booking his place at the upcoming Olympics at the 2019 World Championships.
However, his best finish in other Disciplines is a 91st-place finish at the World Cup Lead Climbing. Therefore, he’ll be anticipating a podium appearance, following a mouth-watering performance at the Olympics’ Combined Discipline’ Speed Portion.
4. Kai Harada
Country: Japan
Age: 21
Instagram: @kai_hrd
Harada has earned praises for his finger strength, which has helped him to his impressive records in the bouldering discipline. He finished second in the 2018 Bouldering World Cup event and finished eighth in the Lead Climbing World Cup event.
Harada will be relying on his finger strength to earn him victories at the Olympics finger strength since his speed isn’t equally impressive.
5. Jan Hojer
Country: Germany
Age: 28
Instagram: @janhojer
Young athletes may be quite impressive and open to new adventures, but the experience factor can’t be taken from the veteran athletes. Hojer will be one of the oldest climbers that’ll feature in the upcoming Olympics climbing team.
He has earned laurels as a boulderer but currently focuses on lead and speed climbing. Hojer will be a force to reckon with because of his dynamicity.
Besides, he has a height and reaches advantage, which makes him a multiple-medal contender.
6. Rishat Khaibullin
Country: Kazakhstan
Age: 25
Instagram: @rishat_khaibullin
Rishat Khaibullin is another speed specialist that’ll be competing among climbers. However, he can articulately compete in other disciplines, unlike Ludovico Fossali. These qualities would be essential for his success at the Olympics.
7. Alberto Ginés López
Country: Spain
Age: 18
Instagram: @albertogines_
The Spaniard had his rookie season in 2019, which was the dream start he’d dreamt of. He reached the headwall in a Lead Climbing World Cup competition and finished third at another.
López’s personality on and off the wall has earned him praise and fans’ favors despite not boasting many medals.
8. Bassa Mawem
Country: France
Age: 36
Instagram: @lesfreresmawemofficiel
Bassa Mawem is yet the oldest climber to feature at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. Nevertheless, he has enough flair and determination to win medals at the Olympics.
He topped the Speed Discipline at the 2019 World Cup and finished second in the same discipline in the 2018 World Championships. His experience on the global stage and Ninja skills will count at the Olympics.
9. Mickael Mawem
Country: France
Age: 30
Instagram: @lesfreresmawemofficiel
Bassa’s younger brother, Mickael, is a skillful all-around climber. However, he has earned more success as a boulderer.
In 2019, he claimed a gold medal at the European Championships Bouldering Event and finished 9th at a Bouldering World Cup event the same year.
Bassa and Mickael Mawem will become the first-ever and only siblings to compete at an Olympics climbing team event next year.
10. Sean McColl
Country: Canada
Age: 33
Instagram: @mccollsean
Canadian athlete being recognized by many American fans’ accounts for something. McColl has won several medals on the global stage in bouldering and lead climbing events.
However, his improvements in the speed discipline make him a model all-around climber. Besides, he is characterized by a dynamic and robust climbing style, making him a big contender at the Olympics.
11. Alex Megos
Country: Germany
Age: 27
Instagram: @alexandermegos
Megos qualification for the Olympics is primarily based on his 2019 season performance, finishing second, finishing second and third in Lead Climbing events, and 8th in the combined discipline.
12. Tomoa Narasaki
Country: Japan
Age: 24
Instagram: @tomoa_narasaki
Narasaki is undoubtedly one of the most exciting Olympians to watch in 2021, considering his previous success.
He won the 2019 World Championships Combined Discipline and has previously won Bouldering World Cup events, finished amongst the top in the Lead Climbing World Cup Events, and ranks as a big-name speed climber.
He is considered amongst the early favorites to earn a medal at the upcoming Olympics.
13. Adam Ondra
Country: Czech Republic
Age: 27
Instagram: @adam.ondra
Ondra is one of the world’s best rock climbers and is widely considered the best climber ever.
He finished third in the bouldering discipline during his qualification run and won the lead climbing discipline despite his speed discipline struggles. He also has a height and reach advantage and is quite flexible.
14. YuFei Pan
Country: China
Age: 20
Instagram: @yfei_pan
The Chinese would be hoping to claim a medal in the lead climbing discipline as he performed in the 2019 season when he finished second at the 2019 Villars World Cup Lead Climbing Event.
Pan also finished eighth at a Bouldering World Cup Event in China. Being China’s fastest professional climber, he’s undoubtedly one of their leading all-around climbers.
15. Jakob Schubert
Country: Austria
Age: 29
Instagram: @jakob.schubert
The Austrian athlete is a World Championships’ Lead Discipline gold medalist and has won Myriad Lead Climbing World Cup Competitions.
With a career lasting over a decade, Schubert would undoubtedly deal with the Olympics’ rigors. His diversity and dynamic climbing style will also be useful.
Women Olympics Climbing Team
1. Julia Chanourdie
Country: France
Age: 24
Instagram: @juliachanourdie
Chanourdie’s career has earned a decorated career thus far despite her young age, finishing fourth at a bouldering World Cup event in 2018. She replicated success by finishing second at the Toulouse Olympic qualification event.
Her climbing experience began in her childhood, and she has a strong and skillful climbing style, so it’s fair to say she’ll be a medal contender.
2. Kyra Condie
Country: United States
Age: 28
Instagram: @kyra_condie
Condie will be looking for a gold medal in the combined discipline since she claimed similar success at the 2018 Pan-American Championship.
She also won the inaugural 2019 Combined Invitational and booked a ticket to feature in the Olympics the same year following a seventh-place finish at the qualification event’s combined discipline.
3. Shauna Coxsey
Country: Great Britain
Age: 27
Instagram: @shaunacoxsey
Coxsey won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships Combined Discipline following a severe injury she’d sustained. She is a bouldering specialist capable of delivering mouth-watering results in any of the other disciplines.
Coxsey has earned widespread acclaim for her performances and is one of the most exciting climbing Olympians that’ll feature.
4. Janja Garnbret
Country: Slovenia
Age: 21
Instagram: @janja_garnbret
Janja Garnbret is a renowned rock and sport climber, which became the first-ever rock climber to win all Bouldering World Cup events in a season.
Garnbret became a six-time finalist and crowned 74 boulder problems from 78 contests in 2019. Consider her talent, laurels, and age. Janja Garnbret is undoubtedly one of the favorites going into the Olympics.
5. Iuliia Kaplina
Country: Russia
Age: 27
Instagram: @iuliiakaplina
The Russia Climber is revered as one of the best speed climbers of all time, considering her laurels on the global stage. She’ll be anticipating another medal or record, especially in the speed discipline at the Tokyo Summer Olympics climbing team.
7. Petra Klingler
Country: Switzerland
Age: 28
Instagram: @petra_klingler
Klingler won the 2016 Bouldering World Championships and became the first Swiss climber to win a gold medal in 2015, good records for an Olympic-medal contender.
8. Mia Krampl
Country: Slovenia
Age: 20
Instagram: @mia.krampl
Top-level placements at events for a 20-year old is a display of the level she’ll be if she continues to improve. Such improvements Krampl will be anticipating at the Tokyo Olympics.
If she could climb despite an injured knee during the 2019 World Cup, she’ll be a big-time contender for the Olympics climbing team.
9. Aleksandra Miroslaw
Country: Poland
Age: 26
Instagram: @ola_rudzinska
Aleksandra Miroslaw is a favorite for the speed discipline, considering several victories in previous events. She won the Speed World Championships in 2018 and won the 2018 World Championships Speed Discipline.
10. Akiyo Noguchi
Country: Japan
Age: 31
Instagram: @noguchi_akiyo
Noguchi claimed a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships, narrowly missing out on the gold medal. However, she’ll be looking to excel at bouldering, which has her best discipline.
She has a flexible climbing style that satisfactorily complements climbing physicality.
11. Miho Nonaka
Country: Japan
Age: 23
Instagram: @nonaka_miho
Nonaka’s performances at the big stage had been so good that she earned “all-time great” appraisals before a severe injury in 2018.
However, she returned to climbing action with an Olympic qualification at the 2019 World Championships. She is an adept boulderer lead climber with satisfactory speed climbing performances.
12. Jessica Pilz
Country: Austria
Age: 24
Instagram: @jessy_pilz
Pilz is a lead-climbing specialist with satisfactory performances in the combined discipline, winning the 2018 Lead Climbing World Championships and finishing third in its combined domain.
13. Brooke Raboutou
Country: United States
Age: 19
Instagram: @brookeclimbs
Brooke Raboutou became the first American climber to qualify for the Olympics in 2019 following a sixth, tenth, and seventh-place finish in speed climbing, bouldering, and lead climbing disciplines.
14. Laura Rogora
Country: Italy
Age: 19
Instagram: @laura.rogora
Rogora’s career has primarily been limited to the youth stage, but with elite-level victories to account for. She won the 2018 and 2019 Youth World Championships and will be looking to replicate gold-medal triumphs in the Tokyo Olympics climbing team.
15. YiLing Song
Country: China
Age: 19
Instagram: @climber_pang
Ying Song will be anticipating a gold medal at the speed climbing discipline following an impressive world-class record, with a 7.101-second climbing time.
Nevertheless, she’ll need to defeat experienced speed climbers like Aleksandra Miroslaw and Russia’s Luliia Kaplina to claim such a feat.
16. Alannah Yip
Country: Canada
Age: 27
Instagram: @alannah_yip
Alannah Yip’s failure to earn an Olympic ticket at the World Championships and Olympic Qualifiers meant the last try at the Pan-American Championships, which she secured.
However, she’ll be looking to create the perfect success story with a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics climbing team. Her most significant strength is bouldering, but she can deliver while competing in the lead climbing discipline.
Conclusion
Please let us know your thoughts on our 2020 Tokyo Olympics climbing team in the comments section below. Also, see these Rock Climbing In The Olympics 2020: Facts And Information, and 10 Best Rock Climbers in the World.
