From a very hot and intense day at the Ludovika Campus - Urban Park in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, the men’s and women’s Boulder & Lead climbers took to the wall in the second of the two Olympic Qualifier series events with aspirations of reaching Paris 2024.

The competition began with the Boulder round of the men’s and women’s Boulder & Lead with 100 points available to take into tomorrow’s Lead round and the hope of making the top 20 for a semi-final spot and a valuable OQS Series point boost.

With 46 starters in the men’s Boulder & Lead it was Belgium’s Hannes van Duysen who leads the way in top spot with 70 points.

Van Duysen was helped with two flashed boulders and was joined in that achievement by Czechia’s Adam Ondra who is in second with 69.9 points.

Talking about his performance Ondra said: *“*The last couple of weeks were not so easy. I was dealing with some issues but today I am feeling surprisingly well. I am feeling very strong.

“This is a very nice venue. I like the idea of having the competition in a park. I think it’s the first time I’ve competed in a park, and it is making this unbearable heat a bit more bearable.

“I had good rounds so I climbed rather quickly and that helps save your skin and stops you getting overheated. I think I was pretty lucky. Conserving energy is crucial, because this is a marathon.”

Olympic champion Alberto Gines Lopez of Spain was the only climber in the competition to top boulder four, and he flashed it on his way to third place on 64.5.

Speaking about the conditions in Budapest Gines Lopez said: *“*It is freaking hot. In the transition between boulders we are in a tent and it was like an oven in there. Everyone has ice packs, they’re trying to cool down but it is hard to manage. It’s different even from Spain, although Tokyo in 2021 was worse for humidity.

“You have to relax after the competition. I am watching Breaking Bad. I’ve seen it once before but I’ve forgotten it all so I’m watching from zero again. It’s getting interesting. I’m also watching football. It’s how I keep my mind off these qualifications.”

Shanghai OQS winner Lee Dohyun of South Korea sits in sixth position and has been dealing with a shoulder injury which has affected his training and climbing, but he still seems in good shape to in the series.

There are three French climbers inside the top ten with Mejdi Schalck and Paul Jenft sharing fourth and Sam Avezou in eighth.

Full men’s results can be found here

For the women, it’s Japan’s Nonaka Miho in pole position with 99.8 points topping every boulder.

The Tokyo 2020 silver medallist is determined to have a second Olympic appearance saying: “This is qualification round so I don’t have to be really tense and get nervous. I was just relaxed.

“I am surprised how relaxed I am right now. I thought I would be all over the place, so nervous. At the Tokyo Olympics I felt really big pressure, maybe because it was Tokyo. But so far, I am pretty chilled.

“I am confident I can grab this place.

“It means a lot to me because I have put a lot of work into climbing and this is what I love. If I could go to Paris that means I am one of the strongest.”

Italy’s Camilla Moroni also topped each boulder for second position on 99.6 points and is just ahead of Shanghai OQS winner Brooke Raboutou and USA teammate Anastasia Sanders who both have 99.5 points for third and fourth respectively.

Talking about teammate Raboutou, Sanders said: “I wasn’t too upset (after OQS Shanghai where she ended 14th with Raboutou first) because I feel like I knew in the back of my head that Brooke was going to make the Olympics since she is on another level right now. So, it wasn’t too upsetting.

“She is just so strong and so experienced. It’s hard to battle against that. I am not too annoyed about it, like I said she is very strong.

“I do learn a few things from her. I really learn from all the climbers here, all the different styles.”

Israel’s Ayala Kerem, South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun and China’s Luo Zhilu were the other climbers to top all the boulders.

Full women’s 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.