In a stunning display of speed and precision, Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland won gold in the women’s Speed Climbing event at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Wednesday.
Miroslaw outpaced Deng Lijuan of China, setting a new world record with a time of 6.06 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 6.18 seconds set earlier in the competition.
Reflecting on her achievement, Miroslaw, a two-time world champion, expressed her exhilaration: “It was incredible to participate in this discipline for the first time, standing on the podium with my flag and hearing the national anthem.” She missed the podium by a narrow margin at the Tokyo Olympics, when climbing made its debut. Asked about her future in the sport, she replied with optimism: “I would say the sky is the limit.”
In contrast, Deng Lijuan, despite securing China’s first Olympic sport climbing medal, appeared subdued. “I don’t think I have fully realized everything that I have achieved yet,” said the 24-year-old. Deng’s calm demeanor and focus helped her navigate a fiercely competitive field, including a close quarterfinal win against Indonesia’s Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi by just 0.006 seconds, and a semifinal victory over another Indonesian, Rajiah Sallsabillah.
Bronze went to Aleksandra Kalucka, another Polish climber, who edged out Sallsabillah with a time of 6.53 seconds. Kalucka, elated with her medal, shared her joy: “Winning bronze made me incredibly happy. I texted my twin sister Natalie right away.” Natalie, also a top climber, missed the Olympics due to quota restrictions, and Kalucka credited her sister as a significant influence in her climbing career.
Earlier on Wednesday, in the men’s combined lead competition, Sorato Anraku of Japan and Alberto Gines Lopez of Spain posted the highest scores, with Anraku achieving 68 and Lopez scoring 72. Both climbers have qualified for the finals on Friday, setting the stage for another thrilling competition.
