Ondra topped the first two boulders, but did not even register a zone on the third. “It annoys me a bit. The journey was at the edge of my physical capabilities. But I was able to reach the zone, my foot slipped twice there. If I was in top Olympic form, I would be able to do it,” describes the Czech representative.
The final boulder was the deciding factor. It was clear that it was necessary to top, otherwise there would be no chance for the elite six and advancement to the evening final.
At first Ondra struggled with the introduction. “I assessed that as the initial jump into the zone was intended, I wasn’t even going to try it. I wasn’t born for this. It’s a step that, when someone asked me, I either couldn’t do it or did it differently,” he explains.
In the end, he got into the zone with a completely different procedure. Another very difficult passage followed, with which the vast majority of competitors struggled.
“I didn’t like it at all, I was worried about my weak shoulders. Perhaps such an interplay of circumstances happened. I missed on the penultimate attempt when I went for two so-called backhands. The catches were close to each other, so my hands got crossed and I fell out,” outlines the Czech representative.
“These catches have only been used since last season and are specific. When you have a layer of magnesium on your hand, it doesn’t stick to you at all. On the last try, I fluffed my fingers and the backhands held beautifully. It’s possible that if the fall had lasted a little longer before, I wouldn’t have had time,” adds Ondra, who topped just a few seconds before the end of the time limit.
Then he had to wait, he was particularly interested in the Frenchman Sam Avezou. If he tops on the last boulder for a small number of attempts, he would push Ondra out of the promotion ranks. It didn’t happen. “I thought I had a chance. Boulder was very unpleasant, time went by very quickly here,” smiles Ondra.
In the evening final, he will go first. “In the semi-finals, I climbed relatively stress-free. Now I can try to enjoy it. I don’t want to completely embarrass myself. I’m really looking forward to the cheering audience,” he sums up.