Olympics scaling up climbing opportunities for young Parisians‌

CGTN Europe

It's a relatively new Olympic sport, but organizers are hoping it can leave a legacy. Once the Games are over, they’re turning the climbing center over to the local community – and there are hopes it will attract the youth.   #Paris2024 #Olympics #climbing  https://tinyurl.com/ytpvbjh2

Transcript

00:00This center in Southern Paris is the biggest indoor climbing gym in France.

00:06But it's an outlier. The capital region has a shortage of high-quality climbing facilities.

00:12One thing it does not lack is willing participants.

00:15There are 3 million children under 5 in France.

00:18That's the perfect age to try out sport climbing.

00:21It's more practical to learn climbing when you are young.

00:25They are much more comfortable with heights than adults.

00:28They always find a solution, and to climb up the wall and get up high,

00:32despite the fact that they are smaller than us,

00:35and they could be more scared because they have seen fewer things in life.

00:41Sport climbing is relatively new to the Olympics.

00:44It made its debut at Tokyo 2020.

00:47There are two disciplines in Paris.

00:49The first is speed climbing up walls like this.

00:52And the second, a combined event of wall climbing plus bouldering,

00:56which is performed on lower walls without a rope.

00:59Bouldering is accessible.

01:01The only special equipment you need is a pair of climbing shoes.

01:05And now that it is an Olympic sport, the climbing community can see a defined route to success.

01:11The Olympic Games puts less well-known sports in the spotlight.

01:15Climbing is one of those.

01:17And this center has seen a significant increase in the number of younger members.

01:21250 new children have signed up in the last year.

01:25It is quite interesting because when you are very young,

01:28the first reflex you have is to catch.

01:30What is interesting is that because when you are very young,

01:33your first reflex is gripping or grasping.

01:36Here that works well because people in Paris are always looking for something different.

01:40And so for the young ones, a place like this works very well.

01:44And we put in place fun activities for them.

01:47While climbers try to unlock the puzzle on the wall,

01:50the organizers want to unlock the potential for the future.

01:53They are giving the Olympic Climbing Center to the local area,

01:56hoping to leave a lasting impact once the Games are over.

02:00Ross Cullen, CGTN, Paris.

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