A first final confirmed for Thailand from Speed qualification in Seoul
As the final Speed qualification of the year came to a close in Seoul, there was a first that came out of the action. Tonight will be the first ever appearance of an athlete from Thailand in an IFSC World Cup final.
Aphiwit Limpanichpakdee will take that honour finishing in 11th position in the men’s qualification round with a time of 5.22. Even more impressive is that it’s his first World Cup of the year and only his second ever.
After being confirmed in the final Limpanichpakdee said: “This is my first World Cup of the season and I really wanted to go to final as it will be the first time for Thailand. I have confidence from the year to compete here and make it. I’m very excited for tonight. This will be my first final, for me and for the country so I am excited.”
Making a first final is a feat for anyone, but it also signals the start of something, and for Limpanichpakdee it’s no different: “I will for sure do more World Cup’s next year. I will train harder and harder and try to make finals every time I compete.”
Missing out on finals is never nice, but such is the tough competition in Speed that someone has to. For Germany’s Sebastian Lucke, it seems it is always him: “I feel amazing. This year I feel in three big competitions I have always missed out by a hundredth of a second and been in seventeenth or eighteenth place and now in the last World Cup of the year it’s amazing to make the cut at least once. I know I can go faster but for now I am just happy that I made the final.”
The hundredths of a second fell inn Lucke’s favour today as he secured 16th spot in the very final race with a time of 5.295 pushing Japan’s Omasa Ryo out of finals. Omasa’s time was 5.297.
At the top end of the qualification are the usually world record breaking suspects. No one is under the five-second mark yet in Seoul, but with current world record holder, USA’s Samuel Watson, and former world record holders, Indonesia’s Kiromal Katibin and Leonardo Veddriq, all through you wouldn’t bet against it happening in finals.
With mostly Asian competitors through, it’s down to Europeans like world champion Matteo Zurloni of Italy and Erik Noya Cardona of Spain to upset the order.
Full men’s Speed results here
If the men’s Speed finals are dominated by Asian competitors, then the women’s is a near monopoly.
Fifteen of the 16 women who will compete later are from either Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea or Kazakhstan. The odd one out is USA’s Sophia Curcio.
Talking about her competition Curcio said: “It was great. Super fun. I haven’t competed in a while, but this was a good first competition back. I brought my mum and dad with me here, and I love having them with me.”
Curcio finished 11th in qualification in a time of 7.48 and even before her finals appearance she is thinking ahead to an even better 2025: “It’s definitely my best season so far and I’m already excited for next season.”
Leading the way was Indonesia’s Rajiah Sallsabillah with a time of 6.59 whilst the cut off was 8.15 which Japan’s Koyamatsu Ren posted for 16th position.
Despite not making the finals, South Africa’s Tegwen Oates was once again representing her country and continent and taking on all three disciplines.
Although with Lead still to come, Oates reflected a little on her year saying: “This season was epically crazy. It feels like I have been training on the job because I’m from a country where the facilities aren’t as great as most of the rest of the world, so it has been a real experience to go out compete with everyone. I’ve grown so much this year and I’m excited to continue next year.”
Until Lead qualification begins tomorrow, Oates can now sit back and watch the Speed finals unfold and try to ‘learn some more on the job’ in Seoul.
Full women’s Speed results here
The finals will take place at 20:00 local time (UTC+9:00) and will be live streamed on the IFSC YouTube channel. Geographical restrictions will apply.
News and updates about all IFSC events will be available on the IFSC website, and on the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin and Weibo.