Who are the three U.S. men competing for the remaining quota spot in speed sport climbing at the Olympic Qualifier Series?
Sport climbing is preparing to enter its second Olympic Games, and for Paris 2024, speed climbing will be a separate medal event from boulder and lead. Twenty-eight athletes will compete in speed at Paris 2024—fourteen men and fourteen women, with a maximum of two men and two women per country eligible for each sport climbing event.
Three of the four U.S. quota spots in speed have already been determined. American women’s record holder at 6.54 seconds, Emma Hunt, achieved quotas with a second-place finish at the IFSC World Championships Bern 2023, earning the distinction of becoming the first U.S. athlete ever to secure a spot for speed climbing at the Olympic Games. Piper Kelly took first place at the Pan American Games 2023 to achieve another quota.
For men, Sam Watson earned first place at the Pan American Games 2023 to secure his quota. Watson recently set a remarkable new world record time of 4.79 at the IFSC World Cup Wujiang 2024.
One U.S. men’s spot is still available alongside Watson, and it will be decided at the Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS). Three U.S. men, based on their world rankings, have qualified to compete for this final Olympic berth. Read on to find out more about these athletes.
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
John Brosler
The six-time National Speed Open Champion and two-time Pan-American Champion, John Brosler, is currently the second-highest ranked U.S. men’s speed climber in the Internation Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) rankings, in 16th place behind Sam Watson, who is holding strong in 8th. Until recently, Brosler held the American record of 5.20 seconds.
The 27-year-old climber competes in all disciplines. However, according to an interview with his sponsor, he recently chose to specialize fully in speed following the decision to contest it as a standalone event at Paris 2024. His 2023 season was plagued by a finger injury, from which he is now on the mend.
Zach Hammer
The 17-year-old from Ann Arbor, Michigan, recently graduated high school and pulled up stakes to move to Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the third-ranked U.S. men’s speed climber. The young climbers’ adult rankings start in just 2022, but he has been climbing since he was three years old and climbing competitively in the Youth National Championships since he was nine.
At the 2024 National Team Trials, he set a new personal record of 5.12 seconds during qualifications, making him the second-fastest American speed climber behind Sam Watson.
Noah Bratschi
The 23-year-old from Potomac, Maryland, has been a longtime speed climbing threat. His recent accolades include a bronze medal at the 2021 IFSC World Championship in Moscow and a silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games, just behind U.S. teammate Watson.
Most recently, Bratschi won the 2024 National Team Trials, finishing with a time of 5.29 seconds. Bratschi has a 4th place ranking among U.S. men in the IWSF speed rankings.
When is the Olympic Qualifier Series?
The two-part OQS kicks off in Shanghai, China, from 16 to 19 May and Budapest, Hungary, from 20 to 23 June. This festival-style event will be the final qualifying event for Sport Climbing and BMX Freestyle, Breaking, and Skateboarding.