Korea takes two bronze medals in sport climbing's vertical relay

Korea took bronze in both the men’s and women’s sport climbing speed relay on Wednesday night, earning the country’s first two medals in discipline on the second day of competition.

Speed is the closest form of sport climbing to a traditional race, just vertical and at mind-boggling speeds. The relay version works the same way as any other relay — three climbers take on the 15-meter (49-foot) wall in rapid succession.

The Korean men’s team were up first, taking on Singapore in their bronze medal match after losing to Indonesia in the semifinals earlier that evening.

Korea’s Jung Yong-jun, Lee Seung-beom and Lee Yong-su combined to cover 150 vertical meters in just 17.827 seconds in the bronze medal match, beating Singapore by more than four seconds.

The woman’s team of Choi Na-woo, Jeong Ji-min and Noh Hee-ju then faced Kazakhstan in the bronze medal match after losing to Indonesia in the semifinal.

The Korean trio made it up the wall three times in 26.901 seconds, edging out Kazakhstan by a single second to take the medal.

China took the gold medal in both events, winning the men’s race automatically after a false start from Singapore and beating Indonesia by 2.5 seconds in the women’s race.

Asiad sport climbing differs from sport climbing at the Tokyo Olympics because speed is separated from the other two disciplines.

On the sport climbing circuit, sport, lead and bouldering are all separate events, with lead and bouldering also combined at some world cups. The Olympics controversially combined all three despite the different skills involved, effectively sidelining the majority of world-leading climbers — like former world lead champion and Asian lead and bouldering champion Seo Chae-hyun — although this has been rectified at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

Seo finished in eighth place in Tokyo despite coming second overall in the qualifiers, but with lead removed from the mix in China, a podium finish is far more likely for the 19-year-old climber. Bouldering and lead events begin Thursday.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]