Find out more information about Samuel aka Sam Watson, as the American climber is trending online after he broke his own record in the men’s speed climbing event
For the unversed, Watson, grabbed everyone’s attention after he shattered his own record on Tuesday in the men’s speed climbing event at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Who is American climber Samuel (Sam) Watson as he creates speed climbing world record at the 2024 Olympics, bio, medals and Instagram
For the curious, on August 6, Watson clocked an astonishing 4.75 seconds, surpassing his previous record of 4.79 seconds set earlier this year at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup.
SPEEDY SAM ⚡️
Sam Watson takes home BRONZE and sets a new world record in the process 💪#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/Dr2UgEMbMU
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 8, 2024
Let us remind you, speed climbing, where two athletes race up a 15-meter vertical wall, made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games 2020. Unlike many other competitive sports, this event is purely about speed, with none of the technical complexities typical of climbing.
The new format has drawn attention from athletes and sparked discussions among climbers and fans about its legitimacy and fairness. At just 18 years old, Watson has already established himself as one of the top competitors globally, currently ranked No. 3 in the world for speed climbing.
He will next face New Zealand’s Julian David on Thursday. The intensity of the Olympic stage adds to the pressure on these athletes, yet many, like Watson, have shown remarkable resilience and determination.
The other day, Sam Watson set a new world record of 4.75 on men's speed climbing. Today, he broke it.
Aura ✨#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/N44ZYvrSh0
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 8, 2024
About Sam Watson
Born on February 27, 2006, Samuel Watson, is an American professional rock climber who specializes in competition speed climbing, representing the United States at IFSC Climbing World Cups.
Originally hailing from Texas, Watson currently resides in Southlake, Texas. He currently holds the world record for speed climbing at 4.74 seconds, which he achieved at the Summer Olympics 2024.
In 2022, Watson made history by winning a gold medal at the IFSC Climbing World Cup in Edinburgh, Scotland, becoming the youngest climber ever to do so.
That same year, he won a silver medal in the Youth B category at the IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships in Voronezh, Russia, a bronze medal in the Youth A category at the same event in Dallas, Texas, and secured first place at the US National Speed Climbing Championship.
In 2023, Watson set a US and Pan American speed climbing record of 5.02 seconds at the IFSC Climbing World Cup in Seoul, Korea. He also won the gold medal at the Pan American Games that year, qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics in speed climbing.
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