Speed takes centre stage in Budapest
As the temperatures cooled a little toward the end of the Speed qualification, the action on the wall did not with the final race of the day producing the fastest time of the day at the Olympic Qualifier Series Budapest.
With the crowds at Ludovika Campus – Urban Park getting their first taste of Speed after the morning’s Boulder & Lead, they were not disappointed as the women went first with the action.
With the quickest time of the day and through in first place was Aleksandra Kalucka of Poland with a time of 6.60. And as usual her sister Natalia was not far behind joining her in the final 16 with a time of 6.86 for fifth.
They are joined by Polish teammate Patrycja Chudziak, who is through in 15th position and are one of many teams with multiple athletes through.
Chudziak made a false start at the first OQS in Shanghai but got in two solid runs in Budapest. Talking about Shangahi she said: “I was much better prepared in Shanghai. My practice was faster than today’s qualification round. So, I am a little bit disappointed and angry.
“I prepared for Shanghai almost a year and there was the false start and I couldn’t even make one run to represent myself. Last month was the hardest month in my training life so far.
“I am kind of happy I managed to start here because it was really, really hard. I am still sad about my false start, there is no chance for the Olympics for me. I have to wait four years now.
“First I was really angry, after really sad and after it was really hard to pick up everything in one piece. But it’s better now, European championships are at the end of August, so that’s my goal for this year.
“What can I say? This is life and I have to go on.
“The funny thing is in Shanghai I competed with a Chinese girl and she also did a false start. We both did it but I was faster so the false start is only mine and she could do her runs and ended up fourth and I didn’t even have a chance to run.
“Tomorrow I will show my best and I hope for good runs.”
Rajiah Sallsabillah is the best Indonesian out of three to make finals. She is through in second with 6.67. Four Chinese athletes are through with the best Zhou Yafei in third with 6.70. France also with multiple climbers, Capucine Viglione in seventh with 6.92 is the highest ranked.
Spain’s Leslie Adriana Romero Perez makes it through in tenth with the 16th and final spot going to Kazakhstan’s Tamara Ulzhabayeva with 7.32.
Full women’s Speed results here
Quite literally saving the best until last, Kazakhstan’s Amir Maimuratov was in the final race of the day, and produced the fastest time of the day, with 4.95 giving him the top spot.
Teammate and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Rishat Khaibullin also made it through in sixth place.
Former world record holders from Indonesia Veddriq Leonardo and Kiromal Katibin will once again contest a final with Leonardo through in second and Katibin in seventh.
China’s Wu Peng, along with Leonardo and Maimuratov, went under five seconds in Budapest. Wu was third with his fastest time of 4.97.
USA’s Zachary Hammer inside the top ten with 5.10 and Asian Games champion Reza Alipour Shenazandifard progresses in 12th.
European climbers Ludovico Fossali from Italy and Spain’s Erik Noya Cardona both made it through ahead of 16th placed finisher Yaroslav Tkach of Ukraine who posted a 5.23. He is joined by teammate Hryhorii Ilchyshyn who was eighth.
Speaking about his disappointment of failing to qualify for finals at OQS Shanghai, Fossali said*:* “Much better than Shanghai. Much lighter, mentally. I don’t know the difference. It was maybe the park, maybe the place or maybe because Shanghai was the first one and this is the second one but it looked easier to my eyes.
“It was really tough for me in Shanghai. I couldn’t stand in one place, my mind was completely gone. My practice and my qualification was my worst ever. It was totally tough. My mind was totally blacked out.
“But here I could stay calm and focus on myself and everything went right.
“The hard part is done today with the qualification and tomorrow will be round by round a fight.”
Full men’s Speed results here
SCHEDULE (UTC +2:00)
Thursday 20 June
- 12:00 - Sport climbing - Men's Boulder & Lead - Qualification, Boulder
- 12:00 - Sport climbing - Women's Boulder & Lead - Qualification, Boulder
Friday 21 June
- 10:00 - Sport climbing - Men's Boulder & Lead - Qualification, Lead
- 10:00 - Sport climbing - Women's Boulder & Lead - Qualification, Lead
- 17:00 - Sport climbing - Women's Speed - Qualification
- 17:50 - Sport climbing - Men's Speed - Qualification
Saturday 22 June
- 10:00 - Sport climbing - Men's Boulder & Lead - Semi-final, Boulder
- 10:00 - Sport climbing - Women's Boulder & Lead - Semi-final, Boulder
- 14:00 - Sport climbing - Men's Boulder & Lead - Semi-final, Lead
- 14:00 - Sport climbing - Women's Boulder & Lead - Semi-final, Lead
- 18:15 - Sport climbing – Men’s and Women's Speed Finals
Sunday 23 June
- 10:00 - Sport climbing - Women's Boulder & Lead - Final, Boulder
- 12:05 - Sport climbing - Women's Boulder & Lead - Final, Lead
- 15:30 - Sport climbing - Men's Boulder & Lead - Final, Boulder
- 17:35 - Sport climbing - Men's Boulder & Lead - Final, Lead
HOW TO WATCH
The action from Budapest will be streamed live, for free, and without subscription to a worldwide audience on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app for Paris 2024.
