After the Bouldering and Lead Climbing disciplines, Janja Garnbret also wins the new combined Bouldering & Lead format at the European Climbing Championships in Munich, which will be used at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Second is compatriot Mia Krampl, third is the Austrian Jessica Pilz.
Janja Garnbret came to Munich without ever having won European Championship gold. After today's women's Boulder & Lead competition, she will return to Slovenia with triple medals in her luggage.
Three disciplines, three gold medals
Garnbret has won all three women's competitions in the past week, first lead climbing, then bouldering and finally the Boulder & Lead discipline tonight. This makes her the first winner in this new format, which will be used in two years' time at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
"Being a three-time European champion sounds good, but it feels even better."
Janja Garnbret
The Slovenian queen of climbing scored a near-perfect 199,9 in the Bouldering & Lead final. The only mistake she made was problem number four of the bouldering competition. Garnbrett slipped and fell hard on his lower back. She seemed a bit uncomfortable immediately after the fall, but the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion picked herself up and topped the problem on the next attempt.
In the lead final, she was one of only three athletes to achieve the full 100,0 score, along with silver medalist Mia Krampl of Slovenia and bronze medalist Jessica Pilz of Austria.
"When I look at my closet and my medals, I always think: Wow, when did this happen? That's why sometimes you have to stop and see what you've achieved."
Janja Garnbret
Stop and realize
"Being a three-time European champion sounds good, but it feels even better," said Garnbret, adding that she might need a new trophy cabinet after her time in Munich.
"When I look at my closet and my medals, I always think: Wow, when did this happen?" Time flies when she competes so many times. "That's why sometimes you have to stop and see what you've achieved."
Slovenian double victory
Meanwhile, her Slovenian teammate Mia Krampl made up for the disappointment of narrowly missing out on individual medals, where she finished fourth. Krampl started today's competition on seventh place and will be satisfied with her sovereign performance, which led to a score of 180,9.
"I told myself that I want to go climbing and have fun, and that's why I got a medal."
Mia Krampl
"Before this competition, I was more focused on lead climbing, so I had no expectations for the new Boulder & Lead format," says the Slovenian. "It was more of a test of what the new format looks like. I told myself I want to go climbing and have fun, so I got a medal."
Hannah Meul misses the podium
With the temperatures on the Königsplatz, expectations increased for a second medal this week for Hannah Meul, who won silver in the bouldering individual competition. The 21-year-old went into tonight's lead final in second place after a brilliant run of three bests in the bouldering competition. However, the 80,9 points she racked up wasn't enough to get on the podium as she only managed a 43 in lead climbing.
"I can't be mad, but I'm disappointed. I had high expectations for a second medal. When you win a medal you get excited and you want more and more, but it was so close."
Hannah Meul
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise great week for Hannah Meul, who nonetheless said she will use her performances here in Munich as inspiration for better results in the future.
"I can't be angry, but I'm disappointed," said Meul about today's result. “I had high expectations of a second medal. When you win a medal you get excited and you want more and more, but it was so close."
Ranking list bouldering & lead combination format women
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Credits: Cover picture Jan Virt / IFSC