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CLIMBING - Int News 14 May, 2023

Pakistan’s Naila Kiani conquers 8848 meters high Mount Everest

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD:-Pakistan’s female mountaineer, Naila Kiani stepped onto Mount Everest successfully 8848-meter high, said a spokesman for the Alpine Club of Pakistan on Sunday.After this attempt, Naila Kiani became the first Pakistani woman climber to summit five peaks over 8,000 meters. Naila is a Dubai-based Pakistani banker and an amateur boxer mother of two kids.She climbed the world’s second tallest peak shortly after Samina Baig, who has become the first Pakistani woman to make this mark in the history of Pakistan climbing.

CLIMBING - Int News 08 May, 2023

IFSC World Series: Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw wins gold medal

Sports Bulletin ReportJakarta (Indonesia) Aleksandra Miroslaw from Poland clinched the gold medal in the women’s fixture of the IFSC World Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday. Aleksandra Miroslaw slipped in the 1st race of finals but managed to navigate her way through to the gold medal race. She overcame narrowly Indonesia’s Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi Big final result for gold medal, as the timing was Miroslaw 6.43 and Dewi 6.52 (New Asian record). Dewi’s got silver medal.Even nerve-jangling race for bronze saw Aleksandra Kalucka from Poland left behind to China’s Lijuan Deng by 0.01 seconds (Kalucka 6.64 – Deng 6.65).In the men’s event, local athlete Raharjati Nursamsa finished with his first ever gold in the IFSC World Cup. Xinshang Wang from China produced best ever result in IFSC World Cup compromised with silver medal, as he had won bronze last week in Seoul, South Korea. Big final’s timing were Nursamsa 5.11 – Wang 5.14. Former world record holder, Indonesia’s Kiromal Katibin took bronze.Gold medallist man Aleksandra Miroslaw said:“I am very happy with gold medal because every competition is different climate. Different challenges. This competition was wet, and it was really warm, so I just tried to focus 100% on my start. The first round of finals was really difficult for me, but then I found my flow and did my job.” Gold medallist woman Raharjati Nursamsa said:“I’m very happy and thankful. I’ve been training really hard for this gold medal. It helps that we have really strong climbers in Indonesia and it gives me great motivation to keep up with them all, and now I have a win to show for my efforts.”

CLIMBING - Int News 06 May, 2023

IFSC World Cup: 16 man, 16 women to compete in Speed finals

Sports Bulletin ReportJakarta (Indonesia):-Top 16 men and women moved into the final round of the IFSC World Cup Speed Qualification fixtures while 72 men and 47 women competed in the discipline on Saturday in Jakarta, Indonesia. Finals will be held on Sunday.Both world record holders went through, Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) qualifies in first place with 6.36, Veddriq Leonardo (INA) qualifies second with 5.09. Indonesian teammate and former world record holder Kiromal Katibin qualified top in the men with 6.03. Six Indonesian men reached in finals.Medallists from last week’s IFSC World Cup Seoul, Wang Xinshang and Long Jinbao both qualified, five Chinese athletes included in total to move finals. Jun Yasukawa set new Japanese men’s record of 5.22 to qualify in eighth position. 5.35 needed to qualify from men's category - Yaroslav Tkach (UKR) through with this time in 16th positionDesak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi took second position in the women’s competition with 6.65, one of four Indonesians to make it through. Poland and China also have four representatives in tomorrow’s women’s finals. 7.42 needed to qualify from women's category - Yafei Zhou (CHN) through with this time in 16th position.Kiromal Katibin said:"I feel very happy with my time. A 5.03 is a good time and it gets me into the finals so I’m really happy about that, and I think I can go even quicker tomorrow as well.”Emma Hunt said:"I didn’t climb the way I really wanted to, but that’s ok, I know I will climb better tomorrow when it counts. It was hot today, and again, it’s something I will be ready for tomorrow."I’m not sure if the heat was the reason I didn’t climb that well today, I don’t think it was, but it could be a factor."

CLIMBING - Int News 05 May, 2023

IFSC News: 30 official sports named to the 2025 IWGA

Sports Bulletin ReportTorino (Italy): President, International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Marco Scolaris says further details on the format for Sport Climbing at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China are expected to be announced later this year. President IFSC Scolaris attended the Annual General Meeting of the International World Games Association (IWGA) in Madrid, Spain and met with representatives of the IWGA and the 30 official sports named to the 2025 programme.Marco Scolaris said:“We had some excellent conversations in Madrid, as They included our proposed disciplines and medal events for the Chengdu World Games, which are based on a number of important factors, including popularity, sustainability, cost efficiency, and the growth of our sport. The IFSC is excited to take part once again in this global multi-sport event and to work and learn together with our peers from 30 other sports.” Chengdu will mark the IFSC’s sixth appearance at The World Games, following Sport Climbing’s successful showing at the 2022 edition in Birmingham. The 2025 World Games are scheduled to take place from 7 to 17 August.

CLIMBING - Int News 30 Apr, 2023

IFSC World Cup: Nonaka Miho wins first gold medal in Boulder for five years

Sports Bulletin ReportSeoul (South Korea): Japan’s women Nonaka Miho won the first IFSC World Cup gold medal in Boulder for five years at Jungnang Sport Climbing Stadium, Seoul, South Korea on Sunday. She had lifted the gold medal last time in Meiringen 2018.France’s Mejdi Schalck got his second consecutive gold medal in 2023. Due to adverse weather and a reschedule, the semifinals, with 20 competitors in both men’s and women’s competitions, were used for final rankings and awarding of medals.Men had a qualification round in the morning before the evening semifinals of both men’s and women's fixtures. Another French medal, as Oriane Bertone won the silver in women’s competition. USA’s Brooke Raboutou earned gold in Hachioji last week by taking bronze. Narasaki Tomoa from Japan got silver medal in men's event. Home favourite Chon Jongwon pleased crowd with a bronze medal.IFSC World Cup Seoul 2023 completed after Boulder competition and a stunning Speed competition with multiple world records and wins for Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) and Veddriq Leonardo (INA). Next IFSC World Cup will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 6-7 May 2023.Nonaka Miho (Gold medallist) said:“I’m so happy. I’m delighted to win this gold medal. I don’t know what to say. I’ve competed for so long and it’s been five years since I won at a Boulder World Cup. It feels crazy. I’m happy.”Mejdi Schalck (Men's Gold medallist) said:“I think I don’t really realise what is happening. It’s just crazy. I just wanted to come here and do my best, climb and have fun. It’s crazy, I don’t think I realise actually what is happening.”

CLIMBING - Int News 29 Apr, 2023

IFSC World Cup: Israel’s Ayala Kerem tops all five boulders in Group A

Sports Bulletin ReportSeoul (South Korea): The Men’s Boulder qualification competitions have been postponed due to bad weather, as Ayala Kerem (ISR) competed in women's Boulder qualification at IFSC World Cup 2023 at Jungnang Sport Climbing Stadium here. Now men’s events will be held on Sunday at the same venue.Women’s Boulder Qualification:As many as 78 women competed in the event, as the top 20 through to semifinals. Due to schedule change, the semifinal round will give final competition rankings and medalists in both men’s and women’s. Women divided into two groups in Group A and Group B.Israel’s Ayala Kerem tops all five boulders in Group A and is joint first position with Germany’s Lucia Dörffel who topped four in Group B. IFSC World Cup Hachioji medallists Brooke Raboutou (USA), Hannah Meul (GER) and Matsufuji Anon (JPN) all booked their berths in semifinals. Australia’s Olympian Oceania Mackenzie got through in fifth position.Ayala Kerem (ISR) said:“It was a fun round. The boulders were great. It was a little complicated with the conditions, but I’m quite surprised at the result and I’m happy to be climbing again tomorrow.“I think the last boulder that a lot of the girls didn’t do, the last move is pretty scary and you have to commit. In Hachioji I was pretty disappointed in myself in the semi-finals because there was a commitment move, it wasn’t so hard, but I just couldn’t commit for some reason. When I came to this move I said to myself I am going to do it right and I am going to fully commit, and it worked out.”Oceania Mackenzie (AUS) said:"I came into this competition with a bit of vengeance as I wasn’t very happy with my performance in Hachioji, so I was excited to come out and try hard. It paid off and I had a good time."I haven’t done that many World Cup’s in a row so I have found it frustrating the last few years. I would do a competition and figure out what I needed to do better the next time, but then it’s such a long time between competitions to put it into practice. So, this event was pretty good as things are still fresh in my mind."

CLIMBING - Int News 28 Apr, 2023

IFSC World Cup: Veddriq Leonardo inks new world record

Sports Bulletin ReportSeoul (South Korea): Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia inked new world record in Speed disciple of the IFSC World Cup at Jungnang Sport Climbing Stadium Seoul South Korea on Friday.Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia broke the world record twice on way to gold, as the Men’s WR now 4.90 from Leonardo in quarterfinal. Also clocked a 4.98 in qualification earlier in the day, which was also a WR Long Jinbao (CHN) grabbed silver medal and Wang Xinshang of China wins bronze on IFSC World Cup debut beating teammate Long Jianguo in small final.72 men in Speed competitionUSA’s Sam Watson breaks Pan American record with 5.02Matteo Zurloni of Italy takes European record with 5.23First time all athletes had to go under 5.50 to qualify for the finalsWOMEN’S SPEEDAleksandra Miroslaw of Poland posted new world record four times and secures goldWomen’s WR now 6.25 which Miroslaw posted in final. Also clocked a 6.35 in semi-finals and 6.37 and 6.46 in qualification – all under her former WRPolish 1-2 as Natalia Kalucka claims silverMade Rita Kusuma Dewi Desak from Indonesia takes bronze beating Poland’s Aleksandra Kalucka in small final 50 women in Speed competitionUSA’s Emma Hunt breaks Pan American record with 6.82, lowering her own previously held recordFirst time all athletes had to go under 7.50 to qualify for the finalsVeddriq Leonardo (INA) – men's Gold medallist“I’m super happy tonight. To take 4.98 and be the first man to go under five, and then to win a gold is just incredible for the first event of the new season.”Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) – women's Gold medallist“I feel really happy. 6.25. Wow. I wished for this time, and I aimed for it this season and I’m happy I’ve made it in this competition. “I’m really happy for all the girls in this competition, it was really fast. I’m really happy this sport is developing, but now I know they are all coming for me.”

CLIMBING - Int News 27 Apr, 2023

IFSC World Cup: Chon Jongwonto competes in men's Boulder semifinals

Sports Bulletin ReportSeoul (South Korea): The IFSC World Cup Series 2023 moves on to Seoul, South Korea, this weekend with the Jungnang Sport Climbing Stadium at Yongma Waterfall Park hosting the Boulder and Speed disciplines from 28 to 30 April 2023.For the first round of the 2023 IFSC World Cup, USA’s Brooke Raboutou and France’s Mejdi Schalck took the top prize, with the American taking a maiden World Cup gold. Raboutou and Schalck now turn their attention to defending the medals they secured in Hachioji. For everyone else in the Boulder competition, it’s how they can take them away in Seoul.One of the 169 athletes set to compete in Boulder is home nation favourite Chon Jongwon who has now shaken off some early season nerves, although with a finals appearance in Hachioji you would never know: “The first World Cup of the season I am always so nervous. My goal every competition is to make finals, which I did in Japan, but I was very nervous, and I don’t know why. “I feel ready now to compete in Seoul. I am full of confidence, and I am so ready.”As one of the, as he calls himself, ‘older’ athletes on the circuit, Jongwon is putting in the time to get in great shape for the season ahead, something he feels he has to do to continue in the sport: “There were a few surprises in Japan. There were some strong guys who didn’t even make semi-finals. “That goes to show the strength of the competition now. We have a new generation of young climbers and us old guys need to train even harder to keep up.”With a new generation breaking through, Jongwon picks his ones-to-watch in Seoul: “Well obviously, the ones to watch are all the Korean men. On the women’s side, I hope Seo Chaehyun does well, but you also have to look at Brooke [Raboutou], she did great last time. “Then you have Natalia [Grossman], she will definitely be back, and she won here in Korea last year.”USA’s Grossman won five Boulder World Cup events in 2022, one of them in Seoul, but in Hachioji the American missed out on finals. She will be looking to get back on track and has the opportunity to do so quickly with two World Cup’s so close together.In the men’s Boulder in Hachioji there were two French medals with Schalck and teammate Paul Jenft picking up gold and bronze, respectively. In an Olympic qualification year, they will be looking to continue building throughout the season with a home Games on the horizon. Making history in Hachioji was Belgium’s Hannes Van Duysen who claimed the first-ever World Cup medal, in any of the disciplines, for his country. With only a week turnaround in competition the Belgian climber will hope he can use the adrenaline and excitement to take another medal and double his, and the country’s, tally.Kiromal Katibin from Indonesia was breaking his own record time after time in 2022. USA’s Sam Watson has seen a sub-5 in training. At a recent event in Italy Matteo Zurloni posted a 5.04 narrowly beating fellow Italian Ludovico Fossali who tapped at 5.06. The gap is closing, and an official sub-5 is looking like a matter of sooner rather than later. This time last year the women’s Speed record was the 6.84 that Aleksandra Miroslaw clocked at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Since then, the Polish climber has lowered the record twice. Now standing at 6.53, there’s high expectations for Miroslaw to lower it for a third time, especially with an unofficial world record of 6.39 at the recent Polish Championships

CLIMBING - Int News 26 Apr, 2023

IFSC World Cup 2023: 287 athletes to compete for top honour

Sports Bulletin ReportSeoul (South Korea): As many as 283 athletes from all over the world will take part in the upcoming International Federation of Sports Climbing (IFSC) World Cup 2023, which will be held in Seoul, South Korea, from 28 to 30 April 2023 at the Jungnang Sport Climbing Stadium at Yongma Waterfall Park.IFSC World Cup Seoul 2023 will the 384th Senior World Cup event and the sixth World Cup competition in South Korea. The World Cup was first hosted in Chuncheon in 2010, then three consecutive editions in Mokpo between 2012 and 2014, and in Seoul last year.The IFSC World Cup Seoul 2023 will be the 144th Boulder competition, and the 129th Speed competitions. A total of 287 athletes have been registered for the event including 79 in women’s Boulder, 90 in men’s Boulder, 50 in women’s Speed; and 72 in men’s Speed.There will be three men competing in both Boulder and Speed: Chan Cheung-chi Shoji of Hong Kong, China; Ardch Intrachupongse of Thailand; and Lin Chia Hsiang of Chinese Taipei. One woman will compete in both Boulder and Speed: South Korea’s Yun Dasom (KOR).Boulder competitors:Jernej Kruder (SLO): will tie the men’s record of attending 83 Boulder World Cup competitions, tying with Killian Fischhuber (AUT);Jan Hojer (GER): ties the German record belonging to Jonas Baumann of attending 58 Boulder World Cup competitions;Alannah Yip (CAN): will make her 31st World Cup appearance, extending the record for female Canadian participation;Alex Khazanov (ISR): will make his 42nd World Cup appearance, extending his record for Israeli participation.DEBUTSThe following climbers will make their career debut on the IFSC World Cup circuit:Women’s Boulder:Iris Heikkinen (FIN), Eugenie Lee (GBR), Kim Chaeyeong (KOR), Natalie Goh Sihui (SGP).Men’s Boulder:Song Yunchan (KOR).Women’s Speed:Yang Mi (CHN), Zhang Shaoqin (CHN), Zhou Yaifei (CHN), Mu Yuju (CHN), Abigail Ruano (ECU), Shivpreet Pannu (IND), Anna Balarshina (KAZ), Yung Ye Jin (KOR).Men’s Speed:Adrien Levesque (CAN), Wang Xinshang (CHN), Tabuchi Motonori (JPN), Zandos Kalibay (KAZ), Damir Toktarov (KAZ), Kim Dong Jun Kim (KOR), Choi Jongbin (KOR).Women's Boulder podium:IFSC World Cup Seoul 2022:G – Natalia Grossman (USA), S – Oriane Bertone (FRA), B – Brooke Raboutou (USA)Men's Boulder podium:IFSC World Cup Seoul 2022:G – Kokoro Fujii (JPN), S – Tomoa Narasaki, (JPN) B – Yoshiyuki Ogata (JPN)Women's Speed podium:IFSC World Cup Seoul 2022:G – Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL), S – Emma Hunt (USA), B – Aleksandra Kalucka (POL)Men's Speed podium:IFSC World Cup Seoul 2022:G – Veddriq Leonardo (INA), S – Kiromal Katibin (INA), B – Mulyono Rahmad Adi (INA)

CLIMBING - Int News 23 Apr, 2023

Climbing News: French guy Schalck claims gold medal in Boulder discipline

Sports Bulletin ReportHachioji (Japan): French guy Mejdi Schalck lifted his second IFSC World Cup gold medal in his 11th World Cup appearance, which is going on in Hachioji, Japan, as the Hannes Van Duysen took silver for Belgium’s first ever World Cup medal in any discipline. He is only the second Belgian to make an IFSC Boulder World Cup final.Mejdi Schalck (FRA) – Gold medallist“I’m very happy with the gold as it’s been a big goal I have been training for over winter. I wanted to win a second medal to show myself I could do it."On his friendship/rivalry with teammate Paul Jenft:"We have trained together for about five or six years and the ‘rivalry’ pushes us on to the top. We push each other and it is a really good rivalry for the both of us.”Hannes Van Duysen (BEL) – Silver medallist"It's the first time for Belgium to get a medal so that’s pretty cool. It’s amazing to be here and every round was incredible for me. I was excited to be in the semi-final and then I didn’t have any pressure, so I just climbed how I wanted to and made the final. Then to end up on the podium is very crazy.""I competed in a few World Cups last year, but I made a lot of silly mistakes, so it didn’t go that well. My positioning, the slabs weren’t really that good, but my training during the winter went really well and I found a better way to move on the boulders, and I think this was the key to break through in a senior event."Paul Jenft (FRA) – Bronze medallist"It’s a bit of a relief because all the finals I have done I always end up in fourth so it’s really cool to make the podium after three finals and three fourth places."Joking about his teammate Mejdi Schalck:"I’m happy but I’m also frustrated because Mejdi always beats me. But he pushes me to be stronger because he’s my friend and we train really well together."