The qualification process for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games has been unveiled, generating significant excitement for the third appearance of climbing. This time, each discipline—Boulder, Lead, and Speed—will be treated as distinct categories, each vying for its own medal. This marks a notable shift from previous competitions, where disciplines were combined, especially in the Tokyo 2020 Games, which featured climbing as an additional sport.
In Tokyo, all climbers were required to participate in all three disciplines, resulting in challenges for athletes specializing in just one of them. While some excel in Boulder and Lead, they often lack speed, and top Speed climbers typically don’t perform well in bouldering. For the Paris 2024 Games, a partial separation occurred, allowing Speed to stand alone. However, the LA 2028 framework is preferred by many athletes, yet Janja Garnbret, a twotime Olympic gold medalist, expressed a surprising preference for the Tokyo format, calling for a return to the combined approach.
Garnbret stated, “I would love to see everybody show how good they are in their primary discipline and then also in combined—it would be fun.” Her sentiments illustrate the evolving conversation around competition formats, balancing individual strengths with overall performance.
Qualification for the Games
In total, 76 climbers will compete across the three disciplines: at least 12 men and 12 women in Boulder and Lead, and a maximum of 14 men and 14 women in Speed. Each country can only send two climbers per gender for each discipline, maintaining the athlete count within the set limit. Notably, if a climber qualifies for both Boulder and Lead, they occupy only one of the available spots without affecting the Speed allocations.
Key Qualifying Events:
1. European Games: Istanbul, Turkey, June 2027
2. Pan American Games: Lima, Peru, July 2027
3. World Climbing Championship: Brno, Czechia, August 2027
4. World Climbing Regional Qualifiers: Africa, Asia, Oceania (dates and locations TBA)
5. Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS): Three events, dates and locations TBA
Detailed Event Breakdown
The Continental Multisport Games will take place in mid2027, featuring both the European Games and the Pan American Games. At these events, the top climber in each gender category for each discipline will secure their Olympic spot. If the leading athlete has already qualified, the next highestperforming climber earns the ticket.
The World Climbing Championship then offers further opportunities with one qualification spot per gender for each discipline. The subsequent World Climbing Regional Qualifiers will follow, with each awarding one ticket per gender for Boulder, Lead, and Speed.
Finally, the OQS will culminate in three events where four Olympic spots will be awarded for Boulder and Lead, and six for Speed, per gender category.
Additional Qualification Paths
Two other avenues exist for qualifying for the Olympics:
Host Country Option: If the United States, as the host, lacks qualified athletes in any discipline, they will receive a spot per gender category in Boulder, Lead, and Speed, provided the athletes meet eligibility criteria.
Universality Places: These are reserved for underrepresented National Olympic Committees, allowing one athlete per gender in each discipline. Eligible committees can submit requests for these spots by October 1, 2027.
As the Los Angeles 2028 Games approach, the excitement surrounding climbing continues to build, presenting unprecedented opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills in distinct disciplines while still allowing for emerging formats and the spirit of competition.
