Team USA’s Sam Watson Third After Men’s Speed Climbing Seeding Round
Aug 6, 2024, 5:37 AM | Updated: 3:25 pm
PARIS, France – U.S. climbers Sam Watson and Zach Hammer hope their best is yet to come following the seeding portion of men’s speed climbing. Watson finished third, while Hammer placed 12th.
The seeding and first elimination portions of the 2024 Paris Olympics took place on Tuesday, August 6.
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Men's Speed is underway. First runs equalling or slower than the new women's Olympic and World record. How many times will we see a new Olympic and world record set for the men? #Paris2024 #SportClimbing #Day2
— UKClimbing (@UKClimbing) August 6, 2024
Hammer opened the competition with a 6.06-second climb, besting China’s Jinbao Long’s 6.09 seconds. Sam Watson exploded in the seventh heat of the day, flying up the wall in 4.91 seconds. Watson’s time was the second-fastest time through the first set of heats. Amir Maimuratov of Kazakhstan scaled Wall A in an Olympic record 4.89 seconds.
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Hammer appeared disappointed after finishing his second run in 6.05 seconds. Watson got off to a great start, but a late slip on his second run caused him to finish in 5.29 seconds.
Indonesia’s Veddriq Leonardo equaled the world record 4.79-second time to take the top seed into the elimination round.
About Zach Hammer & Sam Watson
Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zach Hammer began climbing at three years old and first competed at the Youth National Championships when he was nine. He qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after competing in the Olympic Qualifier series in Budapest, Hungary.
Hammer set a personal best of 5.12 seconds at the 2024 National Team Trials.
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Sam Watson started climbing at five while growing up in Southlake, Texas. Weston has competed in two World Youth Championships and two World Cups. He qualified for the Paris Olympics after winning gold at the 2023 Pan American Games.
Watson’s personal speed climb best is 5.02 seconds.
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