Emma Hunt qualifies for the 2024 Olympics in speed climbing.
Speed climber Emma Hunt is racing towards Paris in 2024, and she has her heart set on winning gold.
Hunt competed in the first round of qualifications with a record-breaking score of 6.67 seconds on a 15-meter wall. She placed second behind Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi from Indonesia.
Climbing at that pace requires an empty mind and Hunt has to pay attention to what is going on around her and focus on pushing from pole to pole. The last thing she needs to worry about is the person next to her.
Many would consider Speed Climbing to be a solo sport but that can be proven wrong with many factors.
“Speed Climbing is a fast-paced problem-solving sport,” Emma Hunt said. “You don’t have to rely on teammates… but we do we help each other with training and all the fun stuff on and off the wall.”
Hunt has been climbing since she was a child but her gym would not allow her to speed climb on her own so it was a constant temptation.
“It was just a natural draw towards the wall,” Hunt said.
This draw to the wall proved that she would be a contender for the Olympics one day.
The build-up to the Paris Olympics is quickly ramping up, and so is Hunt’s training. She qualified a year ago, giving her ample time to plan for the Olympics.
Along with her training, Hunt is hoping to break the world record of speed climbing up a 15-meter wall in 6.5 seconds. Hunt explained that when she does this, she will keep it to herself so she doesn’t add pressure.
“It’s so much practice,” Hunt said. “All the athletes we really try to focus on running consistent laps so you’re always working in like the same time frame.”
With the fast-paced life Hunt is living she still has not had a chance to process what all has happened since placing second in the Speed Climbing World Championship in May 2023.
“It’s all still pretty new and it’s a year out so the nerves aren’t like the same as they are right now,” Hunt said. “I think right now I’m still trying like to process making the Olympics.”
This is the second Olympics that Speed Climbing will be in competition. In the 2020 Summer Olympics, speed climbers were disciplined with Bouldering and Lead climbing. In 2024, that changed, allowing Hunt to compete solely with Speed Climbers.
Hunt will be competing to win the first gold medal in this event.
The Paris Olympics begin on July 26, 2024, and end on Aug. 11, 2024. The Speed Climbing events will be held from Aug. 5 to Aug. 8. Be on the lookout for Emma Hunt as she makes her Olympic Debut.
For more digital content on this story, visit The KSU Sentinel on Youtube.
