Taking into account all corona protective measures, the European sport climbing championships will take place in Moscow from November 21 to 28. It is the last qualifying competition to secure a quota place for the 2021 Summer Olympics. Swiss Climbing has selected two female and four female athletes for the European Championship.
In March 2020, the last two tickets for the Olympic Games in Tokyo should be awarded. But the Covid-19 pandemic shook the competition calendar mightily. First the continental championships were postponed from March to June, then to October and finally to the end of November.
Season marked by uncertainty
The season, which was marked by uncertainty, was and still is a great challenge for the athletes. So also for Sascha Lehmannwho is the only one of the competing Swiss athletes to climb for the remaining men's Olympic ticket.
His teammate Petra Klingler, which also competes in all disciplines at the European Championships, has already secured its starting place for the Olympic premiere at the 2019 World Cup in Hachioji (JPN). Katherine Choong, Nils Favre, Baptiste Ometz and Dylan Chuat compete in Moscow exclusively in the individual disciplines.
The past few months have been difficult. It was a constant up and down. My projects on the rocks helped me in particular.
Sascha Lehmann
The Swiss team is expected to travel to Russia in around a week. Not only are climbing finches and harness in their luggage, every athlete must also be able to show a negative Covid test. That's the rule.
A lot of time has passed since the last big competition and nobody knows where he or she stands in comparison to the others. It is comparable to the start of the season.
Sascha Lehmann
But the 22-year-old sees even in this extraordinary situation Sascha Lehmann especially the positive. “I've trained well and I'm going full throttle at the European Championships. The fact that I couldn't measure myself against my competitors during the season allows me to start with a certain lightheartedness. I have nothing to lose. I can only win. "
Execution of the competition still uncertain
If the EM is still canceled due to corona, the remaining two Olympic tickets will be awarded based on the ranking of the 2019 World Championships. This is what the Executive Board of the International Sport Climbing Association has IFSC Decided in early October. In this case, the Slovenians would be the last starting place for the men Jernej Cruder .
Swiss Climbing is sending these athletes to Moscow
Women
- Petra Klingler (Bonstetten ZH): B, L, S, K
- Katherine Choong (Glovelier JU): L
Men
- Sascha Lehmann (Burgdorf BE): B, L, S, K
- Nils Favre (Martigny VS): B.
- Baptiste Ometz (Fully VS): B.
- Dylan Chuat (Vessy GE): B, L
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Credits: Cover picture Eddie Fowke / IFSC, text Customer Service