The fastest in the sport climbing community had their big appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris. And Aleksandra Miroslaw shone. Sofiane El Bakkali became an Olympic legend and Nikola Karabatic retired from handball after a brilliant career.
In the air
Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw can climb a 15-meter-high, back-sloping wall — technically a 5 percent gradient — very quickly. She had previously broken her own world record at the Olympics with a time of 6.06 seconds. On day 12, she won the gold medal with a time of 6.10 seconds. Her Chinese opponent, who served as slow coach, Lijuan Deng, finished in 6.18 seconds. Honestly. After the introduction of sport climbing at the 2021 Tokyo Games, Paris will be the first time sport climbing has had its own speed competition for men and women. Miroslaw, 30, says she’s not so interested in getting faster. “What I need to see is the green light to show me I’ve won. And after that? Well, I don’t know how fast I can go. The sky’s the limit,” she said, looking serious.
So goodbye, Nikola Karabatic
Nikola Karabatic, born 40 years ago in Serbia, played handball for France. At club level, he won 22 titles in France, Germany and Spain. With the French national team, he won Olympic gold in Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Tokyo 2021. He also won four world championship titles and four European championship titles. No one has achieved more at major international tournaments. But this time there will be no Olympic gold. France lost its last eight games against Germany.
And it was hard
And it is hard
In pursuit of history
Read more on RFI English
Also read:
Olympic Games 2024 in Paris: Five things we learned on day 10 – Ambition in the leap
Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Five things we learned on Day 7: Léon I – the swimming king
Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Five things we learned on Day 9 – Golden Slam
