South African teenager Nicholas Allan eyeing Africa's pinnacle to reach Paris 2024
The 16-year-old Allan is one of five South African climbers that will battle it out for the Olympic quota in the men's combined IFSC African Qualifier on home soil from 7 to 9 December. You can watch the action live on the Olympic Channel via Olympics.com.
Nicholas Allan will approach the wall at one of South Africa’s sporting theatres targeting one of only four Olympic sport climbing quotas at this week's IFSC African Qualifier in Pretoria.
The event will be the fifth and last IFSC Continental Qualifier of the season with Paris 2024 tickets up for grabs in the combined (boulder & lead) and speed events for both genders. South Africa also hosted the first-ever African qualifier for Tokyo 2020 featuring only 22 climbers from South Africa and Uganda.
The 16-year-old Allan is one of five South African hopefuls who will be competing for a single men’s quota in the combined event at the iconic Loftus Versfeld stadium. Chris Cosser, the country’s first male climber to compete at the Olympic Games, will be among the youngster’s biggest rivals.
Nicholas Allan: Climbing to new heights for South Africa
The magnitude of the challenge may seem daunting for any teenager, but Allan has demonstrated a tendency for the big moment at major competitions.
The Capetonian climber made his international debut at the 2022 Youth World Climbing Championships in Dallas, Texas where he struck a blow for South Africa and African sport climbing.
Allan made history in Dallas becoming the first South African climber to reach the semi-finals in an international IFSC competition in both the boulder and lead competitions. He finished in a creditable 16th place in lead and 17th in the boulder discipline.
“My first Youth World Championships is over, and it was an amazing experience. I managed to make semi-finals for both lead and boulder,” Allan wrote in an Instagram post at the time.
“I feel with a little more experience I can make a final but I’m still happy that I managed to end up 16th for lead and 17th for boulder.”
Allan again represented his country at the 2023 Youth World Climbing Championships in Seoul, Republic of Korea where reached the semi-final in the lead competition but did not advance past the qualifying stage in boulder.
“I climbed well in qualifications (lead) and was really happy to have made it comfortably into semis but sadly I fell early in the semis route and didn’t get to show my potential,” Allan said after his lead competition in Seoul.
“Still really psyched to see what I am capable of, even if I didn’t get to show it. I will continue to do my best.”
Nicholas Allan: An eight-year journey
Allan is not only an accomplished youth-level climber but has shown mettle against seniors reaching the podium in both the boulder and lead the recent South African championships. He finished second in the combined event behind Luke Eberhard.
His performances at the national championships elevated him to among the favourites at the upcoming IFSC African Qualifier with the hosts set to dominate the competition. For Allan, this could be the culmination of eight years of work.
Allan was introduced to the sport when he was eight years old attending a birthday party at his local climbing and has been competing ever since.
“I love everything about climbing. It has taught me so many things, taken me to incredible places and given me confidence,” Allan said.
“I have made many friends through climbing. I am very excited to now be given the opportunity of competing with the best youth climbers in the world.”