Story of Friendship on the Road to the Olympics

Sport climber Mia Krampl fulfilled her Olympic dreams on December 1st and will represent Slovenia next year alongside Janja Garnbret at the Olympic premiere of sport climbing in Tokyo, but the qualification tournament in Toulouse was an ungrateful ordeal, as she vied for the second, last Slovenian women's Olympic quota with her national team colleague and very good friend Lučka Rakovec, whose chance at the Olympics slipped away after a dramatic turnaround in lead. The men's Olympic quotas remain unfilled, Jernej Kruder and Anže Peharc will have their next opportunity in the spring at the European Championships.







In the dramatic final of the Olympic qualifiers in Toulouse, Mia Krampl (AO PD Kranj) secured the second Slovenian Olympic quota with third place in the combined event, narrowly defeating her national team colleague Lučka Rakovec (PK FA) in fourth place after a turnaround in lead. Krampl will thus represent Slovenia in sport climbing in Tokyo alongside three-time world champion Janja Garnbret (Šaleški AO). Vita Lukan (ŠPO PD Radovljica) also qualified for the additional qualifiers alongside Mia and Lučka, but was unable to participate due to injury. Jernej Kruder (ŠPO PD Celje Matica) and Anže Peharc (AO PD Kranj) also competed for the Olympic norm, finishing 19th and 21st in the product of results from all three disciplines. Their next, but much more demanding opportunity will be the European Championships in combined next March, which will open the doors to Tokyo only for the champion (and championess) of the old continent.







"We traveled to Toulouse expecting at least one Olympic quota, the girls are in top form and I admit I would have been disappointed if we hadn't succeeded. Although we already had the second quota secured in the final, it was very exciting. I admit I expected Lučka to be better, but Mia showed she's not a world runner-up by chance, climbed the route best of all and thus turned the outcome in her favor. With the guys, we knew it would be much harder, needing a win in the primary discipline or at least a podium and some extra luck in the other two. Kruder was just one move away from victory in bouldering, but unfortunately he couldn't manage it and that was the end," drew a line under the Olympic qualifiers the selector of the Slovenian sport climbing national team Gorazd Hren. "Even before leaving for France, it was clear that there was only one open spot for the Olympics among the girls. Emotions in such moments are very hard to describe, I would wholeheartedly wish all our girls the chance to compete at the Olympics, they are really good, top athletes capable of exceptional results. This time it worked out for Mia, but I believe there is enough healthy spirit in the national team, emotional intelligence among the competitors and huge support from the professional staff, so that in the future it will be an honor for all of us to represent Slovenian colors, to rejoice, encourage, persevere and work in the sportsmanlike spirit," added Luka Fonda, Hren's right-hand man and national team coach.







For the Slovenian sport climbing national team, it has been an exceptionally long and demanding season with a series of excellences from the world and European championships and an enviable collection of precious medals from the World Cup. "The season rating is certainly exceptional, it's hard to imagine so many successes, let alone achieve them. With the girls, we were actually unbeatable at all major competitions. The guys were good at individual events, but I believe results can be improved in the future," Fonda is already looking towards the next season, when the Olympics will be in the foreground, but there won't be a shortage of other challenges - and unlike previous years, competitions start as early as the end of March with the European Championships in Moscow.







Mia Krampl shuffled the cards in lead after a weaker start to the qualification final in speed and bouldering, eventually overtaking Rakovec in the overall standings and securing her spot at the Olympic premiere of sport climbing next year in Tokyo. "I still can't comprehend what's happening. During the competition, I was more sad than happy because I knew how much Lučka also wanted to go to the Olympics, but it's slowly sinking in. I've always wanted to compete at the Olympics and qualifying for the 2020 Olympics was one of my season goals, but to be honest I didn't believe I would succeed," Krampl emotionally explained three days later, who this year stepped on the World Cup podium in bouldering for the first time, celebrated the world runner-up title in lead at the world championships, and now climbed her way to an Olympic quota: "Of course I dared to dream of such successes, but there's a difference between dreaming and believing that dreams can become reality. This year I achieved and even exceeded several goals I set at the beginning of the season. Of course there were some slips and failures, but if I draw a line, it was a successful year for me."







Garnbret, who secured her Olympic spot back in August as world champion in combined - in addition, she was gold in bouldering and lead - emphasized in Hachioji that it's not over until it's over, Krampl agrees: "That's true. Especially in combined, where anything is possible and I am good proof of that. After speed and bouldering, I had the worst overall placement, meaning the highest product of points. So I started first in the last discipline - lead. I knew I had nothing to lose and decided to tackle the last route of the season with a smile and relaxed. My main goal was to enjoy climbing - and I did. I took first place in lead, which was enough for third overall. After the first two disciplines, I wouldn't have dared predict such an outcome, and as Janja said, you really shouldn't give up until the competition is over." The competition in Toulouse was physically and mentally demanding for the 19-year-old from Golnica, and after a long and strenuous season, rest will be welcome: "First up is a short break, then I'll start training eagerly for the 2020 season. Although I just finished this season, I'm already looking forward to training and the challenges the next year brings!"







For Lučka Rakovec, Mia's national team colleague who trains together with Anže Štremflj, the performance in Toulouse was demanding due to the interplay of the climbing triathlon, mental pressure before such a decisive competition and the awareness that they would be each other's biggest rivals with one of her best friends: "Physically, the competition didn't seem that strenuous to me, or at least not much more than the others, but it was certainly more important than the rest. I was also aware that a lot was expected of me, and I expected a good performance from myself too. The mental strain was definitely a big factor in this competition. Competing with one of my best friends I wouldn't describe as pressure, but more as an ungrateful moment that I really never want to experience again. It feels like for the first time we were both torn between the desire to win and the feeling that the other should win." No one envied these feelings to the friends, who relived the competition with tears in their eyes at the press conference at the headquarters of the Alpine Association of Slovenia in Ljubljana.







"There were many lessons, both positive and somewhat less so. A true athlete is one who can pick themselves up after defeat or failure and continue their path towards goals. The defeat in Toulouse was a tough ordeal for me, which I took only as an obstacle and not as a defeat, but it was still a really good life lesson," emphasized the 18-year-old from Ljubljana, who this year became European champion in lead, stepped on the winners' podium among seniors for the first time at the home event in Kranj, and once again showed excellent climbing both at the world championships and at the Toulouse event: "This season was really exceptional, I can even say one I wouldn't have dared to dream of. There were many ups and of course some downs, which only gave me more motivation for the next season. I know I still have many weak points that I'm already looking forward to improving for the next season."







Jernej Kruder finished 19th in France, but just one extra move on the last boulder would have taken him to the Olympic quota. "The result really looks like a poor performance, but in reality the differences were really small. It wasn't just that top on one boulder that was decisive, but also the other attempts on boulders, a hundredth in speed and of course the lead route, in which we were ranked better by just a few moves. I'm still satisfied with my performance, although I know there was still a little reserve in all disciplines - attempts in bouldering and maybe the incident in lead that knocked a bit of that necessary focus," said the 28-year-old from Celje, who during the lead route pulled out a poorly secured hold with an undercling, so he later got a new chance to climb. The next, but much more demanding Olympic opportunity for both him and Peharc will be the continental championship next year in Moscow. "To be honest, I'm not thinking about the European Championships right now, because after such a long competitive season I really only see rock ahead. We'll see what the New Year's resolutions bring," Kruder joked.







"The Olympic dreams really shattered with Toulouse, but for me the competition was really an excellent experience. Since I wasn't among the favorites, qualifying for it was a big achievement for me. In speed, I set my personal best of the season, so I was very satisfied. In bouldering, it didn't turn out as I wanted, but regardless of the poor result, I think I climbed well. Things could have turned quickly and with a bit more effort I could have ended up first. It's these little things that are the charm of bouldering for me, as even the smallest mistakes cost a lot - in my case perhaps the Olympics. I entered lead completely relaxed. I think I climbed quite well, maybe I could have added a move or two more, but overall it was good," assessed his performance in Toulouse 22-year-old Anže Peharc from Tržič: "The final 21st place showed me that in the future I'll have to train quite a bit more to really earn my place among the best. Now, after a really long season, finally rest, then back to battle with my weaknesses and hunting for new climbing achievements."