Now that American Sam Watson has set a world record in sport climbing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, American sports fans are eager to learn more about the event. What makes things a little confusing is that the rules for sport climbing have changed between the last Olympics and now, meaning even longtime fans are wondering what’s going on. Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to explain what’s going on in the relatively new event.
Olympic Climbing 2024 Day 3: Men's Semi-Finals
Sport climbing was introduced at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics as a single event with three segments. These segments tested athletes in three specialties:
However, there was some controversy over how the event was handled at the Tokyo Olympics. Many climbers specialize in one form of climbing, so forcing them to compete in an event that combines three different types of climbing did not allow them to properly showcase their talent.
In response to the criticism, the 2024 Paris Olympics have divided the event into two categories, according to the official website:
