Sport climbing entered the Olympic scene in 2018 at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, and is one of the quickest-growing sports on the international stage.
Let's back up to the origins. A group of climbers joined up in Bardonecchia for a "SportRoccia" event in 1985, establishing the outing as the first organized competition where competitors climb within a certain time limit.
Sport climbing made its official Olympic Games debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and completed its second showing in Paris. The event has also been added to the programming of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games.
Here's everything you need to know about Olympic sport climbing.
Key intel
When were sport climbing events at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Sport climbing began on Monday, Aug. 5 -- with the men's boulder and lead semifinal -- and concluded on Saturday, Aug. 10, with the women's boulder and lead final.
Where were sport climbing events at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
The competition was held outside the Olympic Village at the Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue in Bourget, France. The venue was built specifically for the Olympic Games.
What is the Olympic sport climbing format?
There are three formats at the Summer Games: speed, bouldering and lead.
Speed climbing is a race against a clock in one-on-one elimination rounds. Athletes climb 15 meters into the air with a five-degree incline in under six seconds for men, and seven for women.
In bouldering, athletes climb 4.5-meter walls without ropes in a certain period and try to do so in the fewest attempts.
In the lead format, competitors climb as high as they can over a 15-meter wall in six minutes without knowing the route beforehand. The routes continue to increase in difficulty as the event progresses.
Who competed for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Women
Natalia Grossman (Women's bouldering and lead)
Brooke Raboutou (Women's bouldering and lead)
Emma Hunt (Women's speed)
Piper Kelly (Women's speed)
Men
Colin Duffy (Men's bouldering and lead)
Jesse Grupper (Men's bouldering and lead)
Zach Hammer (Men's speed)
Sam Watson (Men's speed)
2024 gold medalists
Women
Janja Garnbret (Slovenia)
Men
Toby Roberts (Great Britain)