Home/Olympics

The World Record Holder, Iuliia Kaplina, broke down because of her dramatic fall, leading to a failure of qualifying in the speed climbing event in the Tokyo Olympics, this Wednesday.

Iuliia Vladimirovna Kaplina is a Russian sport climber who has won multiple speed climbing events and has also set multiple world records. Currently, she is the world record holder in women’s speed climbing. She rushed up a 15-meter wall in 6.96 seconds in November.

WATCH STORY- VIDEO: Great Britain?s Katarina Johnson-Thompson Gets Disqualified Despite Braving Hamstring Injury to Heroically Finish Race at Tokyo Olympics 2020

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Kaplina breaks into tears

Leading Great Britain’s Shauna Coxsey by some distance, Kaplina’s victory seemed certain considering the advantage she had going up the wall. Alas, the 28-year-old lost her composure with two handles and the world record holder ended up hanging in the air. Realizing that her journey had ended way too soon in the tournament, a rush of emotions took over her.

Meanwhile, her British rival Coxsey recorded a time of 9.65 in the speed qualifier in Tokyo to see her finish on 16th.

Sobbing her way out of the tournament was not only heartbreaking for her but also her country. They had high expectations from their star performer, but won’t see the medal tally increase. Having set the record at the 2020 European Championships held in Moscow, she set the bar high for not just herself but also her competitors.

Hard defeat for Iuliia Kaplina

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Having finished 17th in the tournament was indeed a matter of letting herself down. Poland’s Aleksandra Miros?aw finished top in the speed qualifier with 1.00 points; Anouck Jaubert of France Song Yiling of China finished second and third, respectively.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The rankings in these three areas will be multiplied and combined to plan a system of ranking. The final eight climbers with the lowest rankings will advance to the final phase of the tournament.

Read more: Twelve and Thirteen-Year-Old Olympians Create History at the Tokyo Olympics 2020- Become the Youngest Medalists Since 1936