Budapest OQS confirms who will go to the Olympic Games this summer
A host of Paris 2024 tickets were claimed on the penultimate day of the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest, Hungary.
Seven men’s and seven women’s tickets were up for grabs from the finals of the Speed competition whilst the Boulder & Lead climbers also settled all but two of theirs after the semi-final stage.
The women’s Speed event in Budapest was won by Poland’s Aleksandra Kalucka who won a very close final match-up against China’s Zhou Yafei who took second place.
Kalucka won the final race with a time of 6.50 compared to Zhou’s 6.52.
On qualifying for Paris 2024, meaning her twin sister Natalia did not, Aleksandra said:
“It was very hard today, to deal with the pressure. I knew I had to fight with my sister because we had similar points. So, it was like a rollercoaster.
“I am so happy I did it because it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. So, I am so proud of myself and I am headed to Paris.
“During our breakfast today we were crying because we were aware that it would be a bittersweet evening for us.
“It’s a hard situation. It’s kind of not fair because she deserves this so much and now she is crying and she is sad. But I think she is also happy for me."
Taking third was Indonesia’s Rajiah Sallsabillah who beat China’s Niu Di in the small final, 6.64 to 6.71 seconds.
All three that made the podium also booked their spot at Paris 2024, and with the athletes from Poland, China and Indonesia previously qualified, the podium finishers from those countries filled their two per country quota.
That meant France’s Capucine Viglione and Manon Lebon, who finished seventh and eighth respectively in Budapest qualified for Paris 2024.
On the pressure of qualifying for a home Games, Capucine said:*
“It was really hard to climb fast and just leave the brain on the floor and just climb. Because I wanted something really bad and I was thinking about it a lot. The pressure was terrible, and it was hard to go fast under pressure. But I’m really happy. It’s in France and it will be a big event. It’s already a big event because everywhere we see Paris 2024. It’s going to be amazing. Maybe the pressure will be hard at the Olympics, but now, I just take one week off, and then training and we’ll see in August.*
“I can’t wait.”
The two other climbers to qualify were Spain’s Leslie Adriana Romero Perez (ESP) – who finished 11th in Budapest, and Italy’s Beatrice Colli – who finished 14th in Budapest
Women’s Speed OQS Budapest results can be found here
Olympic Qualifier Series results can be found here
Winning the Budapest event was China’s Wu Peng who beat Kazakhstan’s Amir Maimuratov in the big final. Peng posted a 4.90 but his rival Maimuratov fell to hand him the win.
On not feeling as calm as he always looks Wu said:*
“I am not always calm, I feel nervous as well but I don’t want to let nerves affect my performance. I just try not to make mistakes and now I am so happy."*
There was an all-Indonesian small final for third place with Veddriq Leonardo taking the honours beating teammate Aspar Aspar, 5.05 compared to 5.61 seconds.
Once again, all three on the podium claimed a ticket to Paris 2024 and for the Chinese and Indonesian climbers, the country quota spots were filled from teammates previously qualifying.
USA’s Zachary Hammer was the next to claim a spot at Paris 2024 after finishing seventh in Budapest. Reza Alipour Shenazandiford of Iran also qualified – he finished 13th in Budapest, Ukraine’s Yaroslav Tkach qualified despite finishing in 16th in Budapest, and South Korea’s Shin Euncheol qualified after finishing 11th in Budapest.
Men’s Speed OQS Budapest results can be found here
Olympic Qualifier Series results can be found here
SPEED PARIS 2024 QUALIFIED ATHLETES
Aleksandra KALUCKA (POL)
ZHOU Yafei (CHN)
Rajiah SALLSABILLAH (INA)
Capucine VIGLIONE (FRA)
Manon LEBON (FRA)
Leslie Adriana ROMERO PEREZ (ESP)
Beatrice COLLI (ITA)
WU Peng (CHN)
Amir MAIMURATOV (KAZ)
Veddriq LEONARDO (INA)
Zachary HAMMER (USA)
Reza ALIPOUR SHENAZANDIFORD (IRI)
Yaroslav TKACH (UKR)
SHIN Euncheol (KOR)
Before any tickets were handed out, the men’s and women’s Boulder & Lead confirmed their finalists as the 20 semi-finalists got whittled down to eight.
USA’s Brooke Raboutou showed her strength in the semi-finals moving through in first spot with a commanding lead over second placed Seo Chaehyun from South Korea.
Raboutou scored 172.1 points compared to the next best Seo who scored 133.2.
Japan’s Nonaka Miho went through in third with 129.6 points ahead of China’s Luo Zhilu who had a strong Boulder round which helped her progress in fourth with 122.8 points.
Erin McNeice of Great Britain continued her OQS form to move into another final in fifth with 115.8 points.
In sixth was Italy’s Laura Rogora with 101.0 points, seventh was Slovenia’s Mia Krampl with 92.0, and eighth Ukraine’s Ievgeniia Kazbekova with 91.7 points.
With just one more round to go in the OQS, all of the Paris 2024 slots have been filled with the following having an unassailable points lead in the race to Paris 2024 thanks to their Budapest positions and now await official confirmation following the conclusion of the OQS:
Brooke RABOUTOU (USA)
SEO Chaehyun (KOR)
Erin MCNEICE (GBR)
NONAKA Miho (JPN)
Ievgeniia KAZBEKOVA (UKR)
LUO Zhilu (CHN)
Mia KRAMPL (SLO)
Laura ROGORA (ITA)
Lucia DORFFEL (GER)
Zelia AVEZOU (FRA)
Camilla MORONI (ITA)
Molly THOMPSON-SMITH (GBR)
Women’s Boulder & Lead Budapest results can be found here
Spain’s Alberto Gines Lopez is the one to beat in the men’s Boulder & Lead progressing in first place to finals with a total of 157.2 points.
In second, OQS Shanghai winner Lee Dohyun of South Korea is still on for another win as he makes the final in second spot with 147.9 points.
Hannes Van Duysen from Belgium continued his qualification form into semi-finals to go through in third with 144.6 points.
Two German climbers will compete in the final with Yannick Flohe in fourth on 141.1 points and Alexander Megos in seventh with 127.7 points.
There will also be two French climbers with Sam Avezou in fifth with 139.3 points and Mejdi Schalck just behind in sixth with 136.7 points.
The eighth and final competitor into the final is Czechia’s Adam Ondra with 125.7 points.
In the men’s Boulder & Lead there are ten climbers with mathematically unassailable scores and will await confirmation tomorrow. They are:
Alberto GINES LOPEZ (ESP)
LEE Dohyun (KOR)
Hannes VAN DUSYEN (BEL)
Adam ONDRA (CZE)
Hamish MCARTHUR (GBR)
Sascha LEHMANN (SUI)
Luka POTOCAR (SLO)
PAN Yufei (CHN)
Yannick FLOHE (GER)
Alexander MEGOS (GER)
With only two places left to fill, two out of three French climbers will be at a home Games as Sam Avezou, Mejdi Schalck and Paul Jenft fight it out for the remaining spots. Jenft did not make the final so will await the scores from his compatriots to decide the placings, and the tickets to Paris 2024.
Men’s Boulder & Lead Budapest results can be found 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.