Have 3 separate Olympic events: Japanese climbers

While sport climbing has gained popularity with its appearances at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, Japanese climbers Futaba Ito and Yuji Hirayama believe that more can be done for future editions of the Games.

- Melvyn Teoh

The duo, who are taking part in the Aug 23-Sept 1 Singapore Urban Sports & Fitness Festival, believe that the Los Angeles Olympics organisers should make all three disciplines of sport climbing - speed, boulder and lead individual events.

During its Games debut in Tokyo, all three disciplines were merged into one event, sparking criticism from the climbing community, with American veteran Lynn Hill likening speed climbing's inclusion to "asking a middle-distance runner to compete in the sprint”.

At Paris 2024, speed climbing was contested as a separate category, with the International Olympic Committee also offering medals for the combined boulder and lead event.

But both Ito and Hirayama feel that all three formats should be medal events on its own, as each showcases different strengths.