Olympic Games Paris 2024

IFSC Boulder World Cup Innsbruck 2024: Janja Garnbret victorious once more

By Matt Nelsen
2 min|
Janja Garnbret (SLO) competes in the women's sport climbing Boulder finals at the European Championships Munich 2022

Picture by Adam Pretty/Getty Images 2022

Reigning Olympic champion Janja Garnbret proved once again why she is one of the greatest climbing athletes in history, topping all four Boulder problems on the way to her 43rd world cup victory in Innsbruck, Austria on 27 June.

The Slovenian superstar began her competition with a slight struggle to top the first Boulder problem, but quickly recovered to show her usual class on the remaining three Boulder problems. Her confident and composed climbing accentuated a dominant performance in front of thousands of fans at the Kletterzentrum Innsbruck.

Garnbret was overcome by emotion after topping the final Boulder problem, the only climber of the six finalists to complete the difficult task, grasping the final hold while tears of joy streamed down her face.

The victory will certainly boost her confidence heading into the Olympic Games Paris 2024, where she will be eager to defend her Olympic title in the combined event, which has been reduced to her best two disciplines: Boulder and lead.

There was further joy for the Slovenian team on Thursday (27 June), as Jennifer Eucharia Buckley earned her first world cup medal, finishing second behind the Olympic champion with three tops and three zones.

The 17-year-old impressed during her debut world cup final, keeping pace with Garnbret until the final Boulder problem.

While she couldn’t conquer the final problem of the day, Buckley cemented her credentials as a talented young climber. She’ll add her world cup silver medal to a growing list of accolades that includes four victories at the youth continental level, and a silver medal from the IFSC Youth World Championships Seoul 2023.

Her remarkable second place finish was almost dashed by American sensation Annie Sanders, who also finished with three tops and three zones at the Kletterzentrum Innsbruck.

The 16-year-old thought she had split the Slovenian pair after the final Boulder problem, but the decision to award her a zone hold on the final problem was overturned after appeal.

Nonetheless, she leaves Innsbruck with her first world cup medal in any discipline – a remarkable achievement for the youngest member of the US climbing team.

All three medalists will be rewarded with a rest day, before returning to action in the lead competition on Saturday (29 June).

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