Poland's Aleksandra Miroslaw Breaks Her Own Speed Climbing World Record At Paris Olmypics
Aleksandra Miroslaw made history in Paris by winning the first-ever Olympic gold medal in women’s speed climbing. The 30-year-old Polish athlete, who already held the world record, delivered a breathtaking performance that saw her break her own record twice during the competition, solidifying her status as the fastest climber in the world.
Miroslaw’s journey to Olympic gold was nothing short of remarkable. She had previously set the world record at 6.24 seconds last year, but during the preliminary rounds in Paris, she shattered that record twice—first with a time of 6.21 seconds and then with an astonishing 6.06 seconds in her next run.
“It’s like a dream come true moment,” Miroslaw said. “I’m really happy and really proud of myself. It will be with me forever.”
The final race was a nail-biter, with Miroslaw narrowly beating China’s Deng Lijuan by just eight-hundredths of a second. Deng’s silver-medal performance set a new personal best and Asian record, but it wasn’t enough to dethrone Miroslaw.
"It was a close final," Miroslaw admitted, noting that she stayed focused on her own run rather than worrying about her competitor.
Miroslaw’s victory is even more significant given that speed climbing is now a standalone event in the Olympics, separate from the combined format that debuted in Tokyo. This change has allowed athletes like Miroslaw, who specialise in speed climbing, to truly shine.
“I never have been specialized in boulder or lead, I was always a speed climber,” Miroslaw explained. Her gold medal in Paris marks Poland’s first of the Games and highlights her dominance in the sport.
The competition also saw Miroslaw’s teammate, Aleksandra Kalucka, claim the bronze medal after defeating Indonesia’s Rajiah Sallsabillah in the third-place race. Kalucka, who qualified for Paris over her twin sister, expressed gratitude for the new format that allows speed climbers to compete in their own event.
“The audience likes speed climbing, I think,” she said, emphasising the appeal of the sport’s fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled action.
The impact of Miroslaw’s victory has resonated far beyond the climbing wall. In her hometown of Lublin, a mural dedicated to Miroslaw’s achievements will now need to be updated to reflect her new world record. The artist, Michal Cwiek, had hoped to revise the mural after the Olympics, and now he plans to invite Miroslaw to spray-paint her new record time on the wall herself.
“I dream of persuading Aleksandra to spray-paint a stencil with her new world record on the wall herself,” Cwiek said.
As Miroslaw stood atop the podium, draped in the Polish flag with tears in her eyes, the significance of the moment was clear.
“It means a lot, the first time for speed climbing and also for me here in the discipline,” she said, her voice filled with pride. For Miroslaw, this gold medal is not just a personal achievement but a historic milestone for the sport of speed climbing.
