The rock-climbing community in Connecticut is cheering on climbers at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I am loving seeing it, I am glad it is even progressing at this point,” rock climbing instructor Sam Lourie Jr. said.
Sport climbing made its debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The sport was approved for the Paris Olympics and for Los Angeles in 2028.
“This is a real sport because you do have to use all your body, your arms, your back, your stomach, legs, especially when you go upside down,” coach Damaris Silhavy-Dube said.
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Damaris Silhavy-Dube has been rock climbing on and off since she was 10 years old. She is thrilled to see the sport be recognized on the big stage and hopes it inspires the next generation of athletes.
“I think it gives kids too who love to watch Olympics that they can start from very small and go as high as they want,” Silhavy-Dube said.
British rock climber Molly Thompson-Smith has spoken out candidly about the lack of diversity in the sport and wanting to be an example for others.
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“So, I really hope that me being on the stage at the Olympics will inspire some little girls and boys out there, or even adults really, who see a little bit of themselves in me,” Thompson-Smith said.
According to a survey conducted by the American Alpine Club in 2019, people who participate in climbing overwhelmingly come from white backgrounds.
“It’s nice, it’s nice to see some color,” Silhavy-Dube said.
Silhavy-Dube grew up climbing at the Stone Age Rock Gym in Manchester and saw a diverse group of people participating in the sport. She is soon taking on the position as youth coach and is already teaching her own son some of her tricks.
Louri said the sky’s the limit in sport climbing.
“I think it’s one of those sports that is very welcoming to anybody willing to put in the effort. I find that the community itself is just very open arms, they want to share their knowledge, share their advice, we want to share everybody's successes together. I just find it a very inclusive space to be in,” Lourie said.
