(ATR) Miho Nonaka successfully topped all four climbing routes while overcoming an injured left shoulder to win bouldering gold at the ANOC World Beach Games.
"I haven’t competed in World Cups this year because of my shoulder injury, so I wanted to get this experience and it was really important for me," Nonaka said shortly after her victory.
The 22-year-old climber from Tokyo now has her sights set on qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Games, where sport climbing will make its much anticipated Olympic debut.
Although earning the lone spot on the Japanese Olympic climbing team will not be an easy task, however the victory in Doha should boost her confidence.
"I still have a chance, but I’m not confirmed for Tokyo," Nonaka said. "I have to win the combined Japan Cup next May and then I can go to Tokyo hopefully. There is still space for Tokyo."
She believes sport climbing in Tokyo will generate plenty of excitement and be a spectacle not to miss.
"The Japanese are very strong in the sport so I hope everyone will come out to see climbing," Nonaka said.
Nonaka was the smoothest on the wall among her five fellow female climbers who advanced to the evening final. She was the only competitor to solve all four bouldering routes adjacent to one another on a four-meter high wall.
Petra Klingler of Switzerland ascended to silver and Urska Repusik of Slovenia claimed bronze.
Repusik had nothing but positive impressions about the inaugural World Beach Games climbing event.
"I’m really surprised in a positive way," Repusik said. "The boulders were really great sets.
"It was the right difficulty and it was possible to separate climbers," Repusik said. "Nothing was impossible and overall, this competition is amazing."
The Slovenian climber also has ambitions to punch her ticket to Tokyo 2020.
Repusik advised that the road to Tokyo will involve posting top results at an event in Toulouse, France in November with another chance at the European Combined Championships next March.
Repusik noted that two slots are available for Slovenia’s women's team and ultimately it will be up to the Slovenian NOC to choose.
"The chance remains, but it’s going to be really difficult," Repusik said.
While Nonaka was psyched to win gold, she said the fans who came out to the Aspire Park venue were less than inspiring.
"To be honest the audience was really small and I think the other World Cups are better, but it was really fun because I got four tops," she said.
Nonaka said climbing in Doha’s evening heat added to the challenge.
"The weather is too hot and humid – I don’t like it, but the same situation is happening in Japan in August so I’m kind of used to it."
Nonaka said "she can’t even imagine" what it might be like to compete in Tokyo 2020 as sport climbing is thrust into the Olympic spotlight in just over nine months from now.
Written and reported by Brian Pinelli in Doha, Qatar
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