Four days of Climbing competition came to an end in Shanghai, China, on the banks of the Huangpu River that hosted the first part of the Olympic Qualifier Series.
USA’s Brooke Raboutou moved one step closer to her second Olympic participation, winning the women’s Boulder & Lead event in Shanghai, China, where the Olympic Qualifier Series Shanghai 2024 concluded today.
Raboutou distanced herself from her rivals with a dominating Boulder phase, where she topped three out four problems, and closed in first place with 83.8 points – 24.1 points more than China’s Luo Zhilu and Great Britain’s Erin McNeice.
In the Lead phase, then, the 23-year-old from Boulder, Colorado added 57.1 points to her tally, concluding with a total of 140.9 and placing in front of South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun – the best climber in the Lead phase with 80.1 points, who closed with 134.3.
The US climber said: “It means a lot. I have been working really, really hard. I have big goals and dreams and I was really proud of the climbing I put in today. I still feel like I have more to give which is exciting.
“I really just climbed for myself which is when I climb my best. I was able to get in a really good mindset and enjoy myself but with determination. It felt really good to try really hard and show what I am capable of.
“I went through some really hard times last year and I learned so much from them. Honestly, I am grateful for them because I feel like they are making me stronger today, both physically and especially mentally. Nobody wants the hard times and the challenging times but that’s just part of my path and journey. So, I am proud of what I am doing,” she concluded.
The third step of the podium was taken by McNeice – 68.1 points on the Lead wall, 127.8 in total. Just 0.1 behind, Japan’s Nonaka Miho had to settle for fourth place with 127.7.
Japan’s second final participant, Ito Futaba, followed in fifth position with 116.5 points; Ukraine’s Ievgeniia Kazbekova took sixth position with 107.2, and home favourite Luo finished in seventh with 98.8.
France’s Zélia Avezou closed eighth with 96.5 points, unfortunately matching her brother Sam’s result in the men’s Boulder & Lead final.
For the women’s Boulder & Lead event complete results click here.
In the OQS ranking, Raboutou leads the table with 50 points, with Seo following in second place with 45, and McNeice taking third with 41.
For the women’s Boulder & Lead provisional standings click here.
The Olympic Qualifier Series is composed of two parts, the first one in Shanghai from 16 to 19 May, and the second one in Budapest, Hungary, from 20 to 23 June. Every competition round at the OQS will be streamed live on Olympics.com.
News and updates about the event will be available on the IFSC website and on the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin and Weibo.
For a comprehensive list of quotes from the event click here.
