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CLIMBING - Int News 28 May, 2022

LEONARDO TAKES SECOND GOLD OF HIS SEASON

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The highly anticipated men’s and women’s Speed finals of the International Federation of Sport climbing (IFSC) World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, lived up to the expectations. Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia secured the second World Cup gold medal of the 2022 season, winning the gold medal race against Tobias Plangger of Austria, who fell halfway through the route and allowed Leonardo to finish with an easy 6.33. After placing fourth at the two previous Speed World Cup events, 2019 world champion Ludovico Fossali of Italy finally won the first medal of his season, prevailing over Marcin Dzienski of Poland in the bronze medal race: 5.49 against 5.56. In the women’s event, the Polish team took three of the top four positions: Tokyo 2020 Olympian Aleksandra Miroslaw once again proved to be unbeatable, winning the third consecutive gold of her season with the extraordinary time of 6.54. Home favourite Emma Hunt of the United States of America placed second, falling in the race for gold. Aleksandra Kalucka, also of Poland, bested her twin sister Natalia in the race for the third place, securing the bronze medal with 7.96 seconds. Earlier, in the qualification rounds, Leonardo’s teammate Kiromal Katibin set a new men’s Speed world record with 5.10 seconds; while Miroslaw bested her own world record and set the mark at 6.53. “I felt great today,” said Leonardo after the medal ceremony. “To pair this gold medal with the world record set by my teammate is awesome. We made history once again!” “Luckily for me, the feeling to have a world record set in qualification in not new, as I did the same in Seoul,” commented Miroslaw. “I simply focus on my precision, and try not to make mistakes, and it works!”

CLIMBING - Int News 28 May, 2022

KATIBIN AND MIROSLAW SET TWO NEW SPEED WORLD RECORDS

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The second, consecutive International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, kicked off in great style, as in the men’s Speed qualification, Kiromal Katibin of Indonesia broke the world record for the second time in three weeks, hitting the finish pad at 5.10 seconds. Katibin bested the 5.17 he set at the IFSC World Cup in Seoul, South Korea, on 6 May, also taking the top position in the men’s Speed qualification ranking. His teammate Veddriq Leonardo placed second with 5.28; John Brosler of the United States of America placed third with 5.57 One year ago, also in Salt Lake City, Katibin was the first climber to break the historical 5.47-record set by Reza Alipour of Iran in Nanjing, China, on 30 April 2017. Shortly after Indonesia’s Kiromal Katibin signed a new men’s Speed world record 5.10, another historical moment took place at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. In the second race of her qualification round, after she previously closed with 6.68, the second fastest time ever – Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland climbed the Speed route in 6.53 seconds and set her third consecutive world record. Miroslaw first broke the 6.99 set by Russian specialist Iulia Kapliina at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, where she stopped the clock at 6.84. Then, in the opening Speed event of the 2022 season – the IFSC World Cup in Seoul, South Korea – the Polish climber bested her own time and set the bar at 6.64. The 6.53 marked in Salt Lake City also placed her at the top of the women’s table, followed by her teammate Aleksandra Kalucka, second with 7.04, and home favourite Emma Hunt of the United States of America, third with 7.05.

CLIMBING - National 25 May, 2022

BARD Foundation to sponsor Pakistani female mountaineer Naila Kiani to conquer K-2

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation decided to sponsor female mountaineer, Naila Kiani for her upcoming mountain climbing expedition, who will be attempting to reach on the top of second highest peak in the world K-2 in June 2022. According to an official of BARD, Naila will be the first female Pakistani mountain climber to summit the world’s 2nd highest peak. Naila Kiani has successfully climbed Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters), which is the world’s 13th highest mountain. BARD Foundation carries a deep vision to promote and facilitate local athletes and sportspersons in order to highlight their talent and true potential across the world. BARD Foundation is a human-development initiative, founded by the renowned industrialist & technocrat - Abdul Razak Dawood and his philanthropist wife - Bilquis Dawood. Naila Kiani is a Dubai-based Pakistani banker and an amateur boxer, whose love for the mountainous regions inspired her to carry out her wedding ceremony right at the K2 base camp in 2018. She boldly summited an 8,000+m peak, the Gasherbrum II, right after giving birth to her child. She is a true symbol of empowered, strong, and resilient female athletes in the country, and was presented with an award in December 2021 by the President of Pakistan, to acknowledge her great achievements and contributions towards mountaineering. Naila Kiani said: “I am indebted to my nation, especially the mountain climbing community, for always honoring my humble efforts. I would like to thank the BARD Foundation for their support towards my endeavors – their enthusiastic approach towards my goal to summit the mighty K2 is testament to their noble vision to enable Pakistani talent and sports. This pursuit will act as a beacon for other Pakistani female adventurers and encourage them to explore the mesmerizing beauty of the world’s highest peaks in Pakistan.” Faisal Dawood said: “It is a matter of great pride for us to sponsor the unmatched courage of another Pakistani star – Naila Kiani. Through her many dangerous treks, this female dare-devil is living her dream and building a softer image of Pakistan, globally, as a progressive destination for adventure tourism. Her K2 expedition will engage mountaineers from numerous countries, to promote global peace and harmony and attract more foreign and local female climbers to visit Pakistan.”

CLIMBING - Int News 25 May, 2022

Japan to host IFSC Boulder & Lead World Cup

Sports Bulletin Report Torino (Itay):-The International Sport Climbing Federation (IFSC) announced that the IFSC Boulder World Cup originally scheduled in May 2022, has been rescheduled as the IFSC Boulder & Lead World Cup in Morioka-Iwate, Japan. In what will be the first international Sport Climbing event held in Japan since the sport’s successful Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 last summer, the World Cup in Morioka-Iwate will take place this from 20 to 22 October. The Morioka-Iwate competition will be the first IFSC World Cup held in Japan since the World Cup in Inzai in October 2019. It will also be loaded with Olympic flavours. Morioka-Iwate will be the first IFSC event to feature the Boulder & Lead discipline, which will be one of the two medal events at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and it will also be the final event of the 2022 IFSC season, pointing enticingly to the 2023 season when the qualification path to Paris 2024 officially begins. IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the local government of Morioka-Iwate for their desire to welcome this event and our athletes from around the world. It will be a pleasure for all of us to return to Japan after making history in Tokyo last summer. It will also be an opportunity to look with excitement toward the future with the new Boulder & Lead format, which will provide a great test for our athletes ahead of the start of our qualifying campaign for Paris 2024 the following season.”

CLIMBING - Int News 23 May, 2022

GROSSMAN-RABOUTOU SIGN A GOLD-SILVER COMBO

Sports Bulletin Repot Salt Lake City (USA):-The first of three International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) events scheduled in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, came to an end tonight, at Pioneer Park, in front of a roaring crowd. The opening act of the night saw France’s young talent Mejdi Schalck finally to climb on the highest step of an IFSC World Cup podium. The 18-year-old from Chambery crushed the competition with a fantastic performance, solving a full range of four, challenging and diverse problems. Schalck is also the first non-Japanese climber to win a men’s Boulder World Cup since Sean Bailey of the United States of America took gold in Salt Lake City in May 2021. Ogata Yoshiyuki of Japan also finished with four tops and four zones, but placed second behind Schalck because of a higher number of attempts to top. Ogata won silver and placed on the Boulder World Cup podium for the third time in 2022. A second Japanese climber, Kawamata Rei, completed the podium in third place, winning bronze with three tops and four zones. Austria’s Nicolai Uznik, Germany’s Yannick Flohé, and Austria’s Jakob Schubert respectively finished in fourth, fifth, and sixth position. In the women’s event, home favourite Natalia Grossman secured her second consecutive Boulder World Cup gold with another fantastic round. On her way to the podium, Grossman flashed two of the four boulders she had to face, and eventually closed the round being the only finalists with four tops and as many zones. Team USA also won silver with Brooke Raboutou, who finished in second place with three tops and four zones. Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist Nonaka Miho also placed on the podium, winning bronze with 3 tops and four zones. Two Austrian athletes placed just outside of the podium: Jessica Pilz finished in fourth position, while Franziska Sterrer placed fifth after closing the semi-final round tied at the top of the ranking with Raboutou. Camilla Moroni of Italy closed sixth, at the bottom of the table.

CLIMBING - Int News 21 May, 2022

POLAND AND INDONESIA CONTINUE THEIR SPEED DOMINATION

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The Polish and Indonesian climbing teams, respectively dominated the women’s and men’s Speed events in Salt Lake City: Aleksandra Miroslaw led an all-Polish podium that also included twin sisters Aleksandra and Natalia Kalucka; while Kiromal Katibin and Veddriq Leonardo jumped on a World Cup podium together, once again. Miroslaw took gold for the second consecutive World Cup event – the seventh of her career – marking the best time of her final in the race for the gold medal: 6.93 seconds. Aleksandra Kalucka won Silver, finishing almost one seconds behind her teammate with 7.83. The current women’s Speed world champion, Natalia Kalucka, competed the podium in third place, besting Emma Hunt of the United States of America in one of the closest races of the night: 7.52 for the Polish climber, 7.58 for Hunt. A faulty finale characterised the men’s Speed final, which was eventually won by the current men’s Speed world record holder Kiromal Katibin of Indonesia. Katibin claimed gold with 5.64 seconds in the final, with Noah Bratschi of the United States of America falling midway through his ascent. Previosuly, both Katibin and Bratschi had qualified for the gold medal race thanks to two falls: from Ludovico Fossali of Italy and Veddriq Leonardo, respectively. In the small final, Leonardo stopped the clock at 5.59 seconds, placing third. Fossali fell for the second time in his round and finished in fourth position.

CLIMBING - Int News 20 May, 2022

TWO IFSC WORLD CUPS IN CHINA CALLED OFF DUE TO PANDEMIC

Sports Bulletin Report Torino (Italy):-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) announced the cancellation of two World Cups that were scheduled for later this fall in Wujiang and Chongqing, China, due to ongoing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA) recently informed the IFSC of its decision to withdraw from hosting the IFSC Lead and Speed World Cup, from 30 September to 2 October in Wujiang, and the IFSC Boulder & Lead World Cup from 6 to 9 October in Chongqing.

CLIMBING - Int News 20 May, 2022

CLIMBING ELITE GATHERS IN SALT LAKE CITY FOR BACK-TO-BACK WORLD CUPS

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup Series 2022 kicked off at the beginning of April, in Meiringen, Switzerland, traveled all the way to Seoul, South Korea, and are about to land on the third, different continent in less than two months. Following the first-ever back-to-back of IFSC events, organised in May 2021, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, is about to welcome three IFSC events in the span of ten days: two IFSC Boulder and Speed World Cups – scheduled from 20 to 22, and from 27 to 29 May – and an IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup, taking place on 24 and 25 May. The two IFSC Climbing World Cups will be organised in Pioneer Park, and will enlist 209 athletes from 31 countries or territories, and five continents; and 227 athletes from 33 countries or territories, and five continents. The Paraclimbing event is going to be hosted by The Front Climbing Gym, with 101 athletes registered to compete, representing 19 countries or territories, and four continents. After winning both of last year’s women’s Boulder events in Salt Lake City, Natalia Grossman of the United States of America will aim for her second consecutive World Cup gold medal. Also contending for a spot on the podium will be Olympians Petra Klingler of Switzerland, Oceania Mackenzie of Australia, Jessica Pilz of Austria, and Alannah Yip of Canada. In the men’s Boulder event, Team Japan will try to continue its domination, having secured five out of the six World Cup medals awarded so far in 2022. Narasaki Tomoa and Fujii Kokoro – gold medallists at the IFSC World Cups in Meiringen, Switzerland, and Seoul, South Korea, respectively, will lead a stellar group of climbers that also includes Ogata Yoshiyuki and Takata Tomoaki. In the Speed events, all eyes will be on the fastest climbers in the world – Kiromal Katibin of Indonesia, and Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland – who both set new Speed world records at the IFSC World Cup in Seoul, earlier this month. Competing on their home soil, John Brosler and Emma Hunt will also battle for a spot on the Speed podiums. Schedules of the three events: IFSC Boulder and Speed World Cup Friday, 20 May: 12:15 PM - Speed qualifications 8:00 PM - Speed finals Saturday, 21 May: 9:00 AM - Men's Boulder qualification 3:30 PM - Women's Boulder qualification Sunday, 22 May: 11:00 AM - Boulder semifinals 6:00 PM - Men's Boulder final Followed by - Women's Boulder final IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup: Tuesday, 24 May: 9:00 AM - Paraclimbing qualifications Wednesday, 25 May: 12:00 PM - Paraclimbing finals IFSC Boulder and Speed World Cup: Friday, 27 May: 12:15 PM - Speed qualifications 8:00 PM - Speed finals Saturday, 28 May: 9:00 AM - Women's Boulder qualification 3:30 PM - Men's Boulder qualification Sunday, 29 May: 11:00 AM - Boulder semifinals 6:00 PM - Women's Boulder final Followed by - Men's Boulder final

CLIMBING - Int News 18 May, 2022

IFSC PRESENTS PARIS 2024 QUALIFICATION SYSTEM

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-The Qualification Systems for Sport Climbing and the other 31 sports that make up the programme of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 have been approved by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The qualification period for Sport Climbing, pre-approved by the Executive Board of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) ahead of the IOC meeting, will begin in August 2023 at the 2023 IFSC Climbing World Championships in Bern, Switzerland. It will continue with five continental qualifying events, to be held between September and December 2023, and conclude with the Olympic Qualifier Series, announced last month by the IOC, from March to June 2024. Qualification for Paris 2024 will be limited to two Sport Climbing athletes per gender and per National Olympic Committee in each discipline. Qualifying places will be allocated to the athletes by name.

CLIMBING - Int News 09 May, 2022

GROSSMAN, FUJII CROWNED IN SEOUL

Sports Bulletin Report SEOUL (Korea):-The first International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup hosted by an Asian city since October 2019 closed tonight at the Jungnang Sport Climbing Stadium, inside the Yongma Waterfall Park in Seoul. Natalia Grossman of the United States of America capped off a fantastic performance with a smooth flash on problem number four. The US talent finished the event with the gold medal around her neck, and the impressive record of 13 boulder problems solved out of 13 between qualification, semi-final, and final. One top shy of the gold medal position, Oriane Bertone of France slipped when she was centimeters away from securing the third bloc of the round, which eventually turned out to be the decisive one. The 17-year-old finished second, claiming the third World Cup medal of her career. The podium was completed by Tokyo 2020 Olympian Brooke Raboutou, also of the United States of America, who signed off with three tops and three zones, winning the bronze medal. Just outside of the medal positions, Stasa Gejo of Serbia took fourth place with two tops and four zones, Camilla Moroni of Italy placed fifth with one top and two zones, and Aoyagi Mia of Japan closed in sixth place with three zones. As a light rain started pouring on the venue, Team Japan concluded its domination of the men’s Boulder event. Indeed, after placing eight athletes in the semi-final round, and five in the final, the Japanese national team swept the men’s event podium. Reigning Boulder world champion Fujii Kokoro climbed on the highest step of the podium thanks to a thrilling top on problem number 4, which he secured as time was expiring. Narasaki Tomoa – gold medalist at the opening Boulder World Cup event of the season in Meiringen, Switzerland – won silver with three tops and four zones. The bronze medal went to Ogata Yoshiyuki with three tops and three zones. The one and only non-Japanese finalist – France’s Paul Jenft – concluded in fourth position with two tops and four zones, followed by Narasaki Meichi and Dohi Keita of Japan, respectively in fifth and sixth. The IFSC World Cup Series 2022 will now move to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, where back to back Boulder and Speed events are scheduled from 20 to 22, and 27 to 29 May.