2025 IFSC World Championships: Athletes To Watch
Everyone is expecting to see Garnbret in action but will the Slovenian won’t have the stage for herself. In the women’s boulder and lead events, several Olympic medallists will be looking to challenge her dominance, including Tokyo 2020 silver Nonaha Miko or Paris 2024 bronze Jessica Pilz. Add to that the rising stars of the 2025 World Cup season: Oriane Bertone leading the way in boulder and Erin McNeice in lead.
On the men’s side Alberto Ginés, the first-ever male Olympic champion in sport climbing, will arrive as one of the big favourites. The Spaniard chose to focus solely on lead this year and was rewarded with podium finishes at every World Cups, finally clinching the overall trophy. Austrian veteran and two-time Olympic bronze medallist Jakob Schubert will be chasing a remarkable 7th medal at the World Champs. But it’s not just about experience: the new generation is also coming strong to Seoul with Paris 2024 Olympic champ Toby Roberts and silver medallist Anraku Sorato, ready to prove they belong at the very top.
In speed, all the eyes will be on Sam Watson. Will the current world record holder be able to break the 4.64-second barrier? On the women’s side, the undisputed queen Aleksandra Miroslaw returns as the athlete to beat. The Olympic champion has dominated the discipline for years.