The Miracle of Bern: An Azzurro is a climbing world champion

Personal best, Italian record, European record, world championship title and, last but not least, qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris: Matteo Zurloni achieved all of this within an hour. In a complete surprise, the 21-year-old Italian was crowned speed climbing world champion in French-speaking Switzerland. For comparison: The vertical artist from near Milan's best World Cup result to date was 8th place.

But on Thursday evening, Zurloni went up the wall in the best “Spiderman” style. The audience was repeatedly amazed at how the still blank slate knocked one competitor after another out of the tournament. In the quarterfinals against China's Peng Wu, for example, the Azzurro set the European record with a time of just 5,02 seconds. Once in the final, all that was left was the hurdle Jianbao Long, also from China. But unlike the youngster from Italy, the Asian's nerves gave out at the crucial moment: a false start.

The podium from left to right: Jinbao Long, Matteo Zurloni and Rahmad Adi Mulyono. © ANSA / ANTHONY ANEX

From that moment on, there were great emotions for Italy's climbing community, but the newly crowned world champion was already thinking one step further: "What I'm most happy about is the ticket to Paris, and I'm also very happy about the time I had had never achieved”. We are talking about taking part in the 2024 Olympic Games in France, for which the 21-year-old had already qualified by competing in the final.

Meanwhile, Rahmad Adi Mulyono from Indonesia won bronze in the fight for third place against Kazakh Rishat Khaibullin. In the women's category, Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi from India triumphed, defeating the American Emma Hunt in the final. Aleksandra Miroslaw from Poland took bronze. There were no South Tyroleans at the start in speed climbing.

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The Miracle of Bern: An Azzurro is a climbing world champion

The last competitions of the World Climbing Championships will take place in Bern on these days. From an Italian perspective, there was a sensation on Thursday evening when an athlete from the boot state was crowned speed climbing world champion.

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