How to qualify in Sport climbing
How para climbers qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics
Para climbing makes its Paralympic debut at LA28 with eight lead events and 80 places (40 men, 40 women).
| Men | Women |
|---|---|
| B1 (blind) | B2 (vision impairment) |
| RP1 (limited range, power or stability) | RP1 |
| AU2 (arm amputation) | AU2 |
| AL2 (leg amputation) | AL2 |
Places come from two competitions and a host allowance:
- 2027 World Climbing Para Championship (Brno, Czechia, 13 to 22 August 2027): the top three in each event.
- 2028 World Climbing Para Qualifier: the next six in each event.
- The host: one place in each event for the United States, if it has none there already.
That makes 10 climbers in each event. A country can send at most two climbers per event, and climbers can only enter the event in which they won the place.
Climbers must be born before 1 January 2012, internationally classified and hold a World Climbing licence for 2028.
Places by route
| Route | Each event | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Para Championship: top three | 3 | 12 | 12 |
| 2028 Para Qualifier: top six not yet qualified | 6 | 24 | 24 |
| Host: best American at the 2028 Qualifier not yet qualified | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Total | 10 | 40 | 40 |
A country can win at most eight places for men and eight for women. Places stop going to a country once it reaches its limit, and pass down the results.
The host place
The United States gets one place in each event, given to its best climber at the 2028 Qualifier who has not already qualified, but only if no American already has a place in that event. If the host wins a place another way, its host place goes to the best unqualified climber at the 2028 Qualifier.
Places that are not used
- A place from the 2027 Championship goes next to the 2027 results, then to the 2028 Qualifier.
- A place from the 2028 Qualifier goes next to the 2028 results, then to the 2027 Championship.
- Places still unused after 30 June 2028 go back to the IPC.
Dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 13 to 22 August 2027 | World Climbing Para Championship, Brno |
| 27 August 2027 | World Climbing confirms places from Brno |
| 10 September 2027 | NPCs confirm they will use them |
| 2028 (date to be set) | World Climbing Para Qualifier; places and host places confirmed |
| 5 May 2028 | Accreditation Long List due |
| 30 June 2028 | NPCs declare their use of all places |
| 24 July 2028 | Sport entries close |
Where the document disagrees with itself
- The chapter says places go "to the individual athlete, not to the NPC", but the 2028 Qualifier method says the top six win a place "for their NPC". Which applies to Qualifier places needs confirming with World Climbing.
- The date and place of the 2028 Qualifier are "TBD".
How sport climbers qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics
At Los Angeles 2028, climbing has three separate events for men and for women: boulder, lead and speed. A climber can qualify in boulder and lead together. A country can have two climbers per event per gender. Places go to the climbers by name.
Each event follows the same order:
- European Games (Istanbul, June 2027) and Pan American Games (Lima, July 2027): the winner.
- 2027 World Championships, Brno (August 2027): the winner.
- Continental qualifiers for Africa, Asia and Oceania (September to December 2027): the winner. For India, this is the World Climbing Asia Qualifier.
- Olympic Qualifier Series (Tokyo, Shanghai and Orlando, May and June 2028): the rest.
- Host (one per gender) and one universality place per gender.
Places (per gender)
| Route | Boulder | Lead | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Games and Pan American Games, winners | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2027 World Championships, winner | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Continental qualifiers: Africa, Asia, Oceania | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Olympic Qualifier Series ranking | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Qualification places | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| Host | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Universality | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 12 | 12 | 14 |
Rules that matter
- A climber who already has a place cannot win another in the same event; the next climber takes it.
- Boulder and lead cross-over: a climber qualified in one can also enter the other (within two per country) and counts once. If they give up the first place, they lose the second right too.
- Chronological order: the first event a climber qualifies at gives the place.
- Qualifier Series entry is by 2027 results and rankings, under a separate document.
- Host and universality: the climber must have taken part in a qualification event and be ranked within a cut-off (not yet set) on the Qualifier Series ranking.
Who can climb
Born before 1 January 2012; a World Climbing licence for 2028; not banned in 2028.
Places turned down
The next eligible climber at the same event (from the same continent for continental places); if none, the Qualifier Series ranking.
Where the documents disagree. The speed document says the Qualifier Series "includes two events" and then lists three; the boulder and lead documents say three.
Dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 24 to 27 June 2027 | European Games, Istanbul |
| 24 to 27 July 2027 | Pan American Games, Lima |
| August 2027 | World Championships, Brno |
| 1 October 2027 | IOC invites universality requests |
| September to December 2027 | Africa, Asia, Oceania qualifiers |
| 4 to 7 May 2028 | Qualifier Series, Tokyo |
| 11 to 14 May 2028 | Qualifier Series, Shanghai |
| 8 to 11 June 2028 | Qualifier Series, Orlando |
| 26 June 2028 | Entries deadline for the Games |
| 14 to 30 July 2028 | LA28 Olympic Games |
Where to follow it
worldclimbing.com publishes results and rankings.