Getty Image / Michael Reaves
Team USA speed climber Sam Watson is 1-of-1 in his field and just broke his own world record while scaling the rock wall faster than most people can climb stairs.
He’s already being called a real-life ‘Spider-Man’ by anyone who watches this clip of his 4.75-second world record in the men’s speed climbing quarterfinals. The dude truly scales the wall so fast it is hard to tell when he is even holding onto the shaped grips.
Here’s the record-setting moment from Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue:
Sam Watson's world record-breaking climb got the crowd ROARING at Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/GHKtWE7fWg
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2024
I’d been trying to find Speed Climbing on TV for days. The sport has gotten absolutely shafted with TV/time slots and it’s been showing at like 4 AM on occasion. This needs to change. Simple as that.
We can’t exist in a world where a Team USA athlete is setting world records in any sport and it isn’t receiving a prime TV slot. Americans deserve better. Heck, Sam Watson deserves better as the best speed climber in the world right now.
Watson’s previous speed climb record was 4.79 seconds, a record that Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia had tied just moments prior to Watson flying up the wall in 4.75 seconds. Things will get tougher in the quarter finals where reigning world champion Matteo Zurloni has been watching these record-setting climbs and surely wants to make some headlines of his own.
This all makes me want to hit the rock climbing gym. It’s been way too long for me. There was a time in life when I was able to climb regularly and that seems like it was a lifetime ago. It is such a fun sport when it takes you outdoors too.