How to qualify for sport climbing (boulder and lead) at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained 

By Marta Martín I Created 10 August 2022
7 min|
Alberto Ginés - Olympics - 11
Picture by Jeff Roberson - Pool

With a brand new sport climbing competition format in place for Paris 2024, expectations are even higher for a sport that made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. But before anyone makes it to the next edition of the Games, athletes will need to climb their way to Olympic qualification. 

Spain’s Alberto Gines and Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret were crowned the first Olympic sport climbing champions when the sport made its debut at Tokyo 2020.

However, they aren't necessarily the favourites for Paris 2024 after the competition format was overhauled for the upcoming edition of the Games.

While there was one set of medals per gender on offer at Tokyo 2020, there will be two in Paris, where instead of competing in a single event that combines boulder, lead and speed, athletes will battle for glory in two events: speed; and boulder and lead combined - with a gold medal on offer in each event.

But before they take to the Olympic stage, athletes will need to qualify for Paris 2024 through new qualification systems.

Keep reading to find out the answers to the main questions about the boulder and lead qualification process for Paris 2024.

How many athletes will compete in boulder and lead at Paris 2024?

A total of 20 athletes per gender will compete in the combined boulder and lead event at Paris 2024, with a maximum of four quotas (two men and two women) available to each NOC. Quotas are allocated to each qualified athlete's name, as opposed to their NOC, as is the case in some other sports.

One quota per gender will be given to host country France, with another quota per gender available through Universality places. Over the next two years, there will be 36 spots available to specialists in boulder and lead.

To be eligible to qualify, climbers must be born on or before 1 January 2008.

READ MORE:

What is the qualification pathway to Paris 2024?

Apart from the quotas secured for the host NOC (one for men and one for women) and the Universality places (one for men and one for women), there are three ways to qualify in the combined boulder and lead discipline: the World Championship 2023, the Continental Qualifiers in 2023 and the Olympic Qualifier Series* in 2024.

IFSC Climbing World Championship (B&L) - Bern (SUI), August 2023 - six quotas

The three highest-placed climbers per gender at the World Championship in 2023 will obtain one quota place each, respecting the maximum quotas per gender per NOC.

IFSC Continental Qualifiers (B&L) - Sept-Dec 2023 - 10 quotas

The highest-placed athlete per gender at each Continental Qualifier will secure one quota place, respecting the maximum quotas per gender per NOC. In the case that the winner of any of the Continental Qualifiers has already obtained a quota place in the World Championship in 2023, the quota place will be allocated to the next highest-placed eligible climber not yet qualified at the same Continental Qualifier.

The Continental Qualifiers are:

  • Pan American Qualifier - PanAmerican Games, Santiago (CHI), 21-24 October 2023
  • European Qualifier - Laval (FRA), 27-29 October 2023
  • Asian Qualifier - Jakarta (INA), 9-12 November 2023
  • Oceanian Qualifier - Location TBD, 23-26 November 2023
  • African Qualifier - Location TBD, 14-17 December 2023

Olympic Qualifier Series* - March-June 2024 - 20 quotas

The Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) is a newly launched multisport qualifier. It will be the last decisive chance for athletes to qualify to Paris 2024.

For sport climbing, athletes will get a spot to the OQS through invitations, which will be released based on the 2023 international events results/rankings, with a maximum quota per gender per National Federation.

The exact procedure to allocate these quotas is yet to be determined. The quota places will be allocated respecting the maximum quota per gender per NOC.

What is the Paris 2024 sport climbing competition format and schedule?

The sport climbing competition at Paris 2024 will take place from 5 to 10 August 2024 in Le Bourget.

The combined boulder and lead competition will be similar to the combined competition we saw at Tokyo 2020. Climbers will compete for points in the two individual events. The athlete who tops the overall ranking after competing in the two events will be crowned Olympic champion.

Both men and women will start by competing in boulder. They will take part in the semi-finals on 5 and 6 August, followed by the lead semi-finals on the following two days. The highest-ranked climbers will then battle for medals in the combined finals on 9 August for men and 10 August for women.

READ MORE: Olympic Games Paris 2024 sports calendar released

READ MORE: Tickets for Paris 2024: what's new

Boulder and lead specialists to watch at Paris 2024

Despite having won the gold medal at Tokyo 2020 thanks to an outstanding performance in the speed event, Spain’s Alberto Gines is a boulder specialist, while Janja Garnbret's speciality is lead. It means the defending champions remain two of the main athletes to watch out for during the qualification pathway to Paris 2024.

However, capturing the gold medal is never easy and this time around they are likely to face athletes who are more prepared than ever before.

Climbers from Japan will be among the favourites in the men’s boulder competitions, as three of them occupy the top positions in the world ranking: Fujii Kokoro, Narasaki Tomoa (4th at Tokyo 2020) and Ogata Yoshiyuki.

In the women's category, athletes from the USA are leading this season’s standings, with Natalia Grossman and Brooke Raboutou (5th in Tokyo 2020) the stars of boulder in 2022. Serbia's Stasa Gejo and Italy's Camilla Moroni are among the other climbers to keep an eye on.

In lead, the names making waves this season include Colin Duffy and Jesse Gruper (USA), Homa Taisei (Japan), Yannik Flohé (Germany) and Luka Potocar (Slovenia). In the women's field, superstar Garnbret is facing strong opposition from Seo Chaehyun (Republic of Korea), Laura Rogora (Italy) and, once again, Grossman and Raboutou.

French climbers will also be eager to impress at their home Olympic Games, including a new generation of climbers led by Mejdi Schalk, Oriane Bertone and Manon Hily.

Boulder/Lead qualification timeline to Paris 2024

  • August 2023: IFSC World Championship, Bern (Switzerland)
  • Within 5 days of the event: The IFSC confirms in writing to the NOCs the quota places obtained
  • Within two weeks of the previous step: The NOCs to confirm to the IFSC the use of the allocated quota places
  • September-December 2023: IFSC Continental Qualifiers
  • Within five days of the event: The IFSC confirms in writing to the NOCs the quota places obtained
  • Within two weeks of the previous step: The NOCs to confirm to the IFSC the use of the allocated quota places
  • March-June 2024: Olympic Qualifier Series
  • Within 5 days of the event/series: The IFSC confirms in writing to the NOCs the quota places obtained
  • Within two weeks of the conclusion of the event/series: The NOCs to confirm to the IFSC the use of the allocated quota places
  • After the previous step: Reallocation of any unused host country places (if needed). The IFSC confirms in writing to the NOC the quota places obtained
  • Within two weeks of the previous step: The NOC confirms to the IFSC the use of allocated quota places
  • After the conclussion of the last event/series and the confirmation of NOCs quota places: Reallocation of host country places (if needed). The IFSC confirms in writing to the NOC the quota places obtained
  • Within two weeks of the previous step: The NOCs to confirm to the IFSC the use of the allocated quota places
  • At the end of the qualification period: The Tripartite Commission to confirm in writing the allocation of Universality places to the NOCs (where applicable)
  • At the end of the qualification period: Reallocation of Universality place (if needed). The IFSC confirms in writing to the NOC the quota places obtained
  • Within two weeks of the previous step: The NOCs to confirm to the IFSC the use of the allocated quota places
  • Following the previous steps: The IFSC to reallocate all unused quota places
  • 8 July 2024: Paris 2024 Sport Entries Deadline
  • Technical meeting: The IFSC to reallocate any unused quota places post-sport-entries deadline
  • 26 July-11 August 2024: Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Find out more about the qualification system for other sports that will feature at Paris 2024.