At the Paris Olympics, 18-year-old speed climber Sam Watson has made a bold claim: he is the fastest man in the world, albeit vertically. On Tuesday, Watson shattered the world record for speed climbing, scaling a 49-foot wall in just 4.75 seconds.
Watson, who still lives with his parents and is an avid chess player, stunned the crowd and fellow athletes alike with his extraordinary performance. His record-breaking climb came during the preliminary rounds of the speed climbing event, marking the third time he has broken the world record in three months.
“I’ve always wanted to carve my own path,” said Watson. “Being someone others can look up to and inspiring them to follow their dreams is what drives me.”
Growing up in Southlake, Texas, Watson’s parents recognized his potential early. At five, he began using the climbing wall at their local gym. Speed climbing, which became an Olympic sport in 2021, allowed Watson to focus on his favorite discipline.
In the elimination heat, Watson set the record against his American teammate and close friend, Zach Hammer. Despite the competitive nature of the event, Watson expressed mixed feelings about surpassing Hammer. “It sucks, there’s no better way to put that,” Watson said. “I love him, he’s like a brother to me.”
Hammer echoed Watson’s sentiments, saying, “I’m very proud of myself and happy for Sam. We’ve trained together for so long, and it means a lot to share this experience with him.”
Watson’s coach, Albert Ok, credited Watson’s success to a unique approach to speed climbing. Rather than focusing solely on strength and repetition, Ok and Watson work on minimizing contact with the wall to save time. This strategy has paid off, as evidenced by Watson’s rapid ascent in the speed climbing world.
The Olympics have brought new attention to speed climbing, with Watson hoping his achievements will inspire others to take up the sport. “For the longest time, speed climbing in America was a laughing stock,” Ok said. “But Sam’s ability shows the sport has value and is exciting.”
With the finals on Thursday, Watson aims to solidify his claim of being the fastest man in the world with an Olympic gold medal. “Obviously, Noah [Lyles] is an incredible athlete,” Watson said. “But I’m faster.”
Watson’s accomplishments highlight the growing popularity and recognition of speed climbing. His impressive performance at the Olympics is set to inspire a new generation of climbers and cement his place in the sport’s history.
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