Slovenian sport climbing superstar wins double gold

Slovenian sport climbing star Janja Garnbret has once again confirmed her dominance on the world stage, winning two gold medals in as many days at the IFSC Climbing World Championships in Seoul. After clinching the lead title, she added victory in the boulder competition to secure a remarkable tenth world championship gold of her career.

In the lead event, the 26-year-old double Olympic champion was the only climber to reach the top in the final, delivering on the goal she had set for herself, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

"This victory is special. After a very stressful Olympic year, I didn't think I could do another year like that, another great competition. I'm very pleased I made it," she said afterwards. "Another world championship title! I'm thrilled!"

Her gold was part of a double Slovenian triumph as 19-year-old Rosa Rekar, competing in her first world championships, claimed silver, while Lučka Rakovec finished seventh.

Just 24 hours later, Garnbret proved unstoppable again in the boulder final. Although she needed five attempts to top the first wall, she flashed the next two and finished the last on her second try.

She was the only finalist to complete all four problems, outpacing France's Oriane Bertone, who took silver, and American Melina Costanza, who won bronze.

"Oriane made me run for my money!" Garnbret admitted with a smile.

Reflecting on her back-to-back victories, she added:

"They are special. At the start of the season I wasn't even sure whether I am ready for one more big competition after last year's Paris Olympics, but it seems I was. Luckily it all worked out."

Garnbret now holds ten world championship titles - a record in the sport - with four in bouldering, three in lead, and three in the combined.

Her success is all the more remarkable given that she has taken part in only three competitions this year: the ongoing worlds, a world cup event in Innsbruck in June, where she won in both lead and bouldering, and a Slovenian-held competition in Koper in August, where she also won both events.

Slovenia's strong presence in Seoul was underlined by another finalist, 18-year-old Jennifer Eucharia Buckley, who placed fifth in bouldering by topping one of the four problems.