Best of British climbers head to Shanghai to compete in the Olympic Qualifying Series
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce the lineup that will compete in Shanghai, China to represent the GB Climbing team at the first event of the Olympic Qualifying Series from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 May 2024.
The team of six will compete in the combined Boulder & Lead competition, in which the final starting places for Paris 2024 will be decided in a two-part Olympic Qualifier Series event.
Following her impressive season opener in the back-to-back Wujiang and Keqiao World Cups, 19-year-old Erin McNeice returns to China to bid for a place at Paris 2024. McNeice, currently ranked 29th in the Boulder & Lead World Rankings, took home personal best results in the first Boulder and Lead World Cups this season placing 5th in both competitions.
Joining McNeice in the women’s competition is 26-year-old Molly Thompson-Smith. The five-time UK national champion is a seasoned athlete on the world stage. Thompson-Smith has over a decade of experience, including being a lead medallist at the Continental Championships in 2020. She now looks to make her second Olympic bid in sport climbing as the sport makes its second Games appearance.
Jack MacDougall, the youngest GB Climbing athlete to compete at the OQS, took 22nd in the combined event at IFSC World Championships. 18-year-old MacDougall then bettered that result whilst competing at the IFSC European Qualifier in Laval in October 2023, the same event which saw fellow teammate Toby Roberts take gold and secure his ticket to Paris 2024. MacDougall’s strength lies within the Boulder discipline, and we saw him place 25th at the season opener in Keqiao earlier this year.
Max Milne, the 23-year-old, nicknamed ‘The Future’ looks to fulfil his childhood Olympic dream by claiming that ticket to Paris alongside teammate Toby Roberts. Milne is no stranger to reaching a podium, taking silver at the 2022 IFSC Boulder World Cup in Brixen. After having his breakout World Cup season in 2021, a wrist injury in 2023 meant he had limited competition exposure last year. Returning from injury, he opened the 2024 season taking 8th position Wujiang Lead World Cup finals, having never previously made a Lead semi-final.
25-year-old Jim Pope and 22-year-old Hamish McArthur step out onto the mats for the first time this season. McArthur finished 35th in the combined event at the IFSC World Championships in Bern whilst Pope finished 41st. Between the two athletes they have over 20 years international competition experience.
Like his fellow teammates, McArthur has a plethora of podiums to his name. His best results coming in 2021 at the IFSC Climbing Youth World Championships where he took gold in the Boulder and Lead competitions.
Jim Pope is one of Britain’s leading sport and trad climber, famously having ticked ‘Appointment with Death’ E9 6C back in 2019. Pope also has had a long history of succeeding on the international stage in competition climbing with his best World Cup result being at the Xiamen Lead World Cup in 2019 where he took 9th position and his best Youth result being at the 2015 European Lead Youth Cup in Mitterdorf where he took the gold medal.
Rachel Carr, GB Climbing Coach and Head of Delegation, said: “It’s great to see our athletes back out in Asia especially after reflecting on the incredible season start back in April. With a mix of seasoned and developing talent, we have witnessed these athletes go from strength to strength to the last couple of seasons.
“I’m excited to see how our team perform in this new Olympic Qualifying Series, all aiming to take one step closer to securing those coveted spots at Paris 2024.”
Jon Garside, Head of Performance at the BMC said: “The opportunity to have a team of six strong athletes heading into the first-ever Olympic Qualifying Event is something as a nation we should be really proud of. With Toby already guaranteed a spot at the Games, I am looking forward to supporting our young team throughout this competition and beyond.”
With 20 Olympic quota places remaining for Sport Climbing, each nation can qualify up to two male and two female athletes through the OQS series, with Toby Roberts already securing his place, one male quota and two female quota places remain up for grabs for Great Britain.
The OQS series will see the sports of breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding and BMX freestyle come together for two events in Shanghai (16 – 19 May) and Budapest (18 – 23 June).
Where to watch
Watch the Olympic Qualifying Series via olmpics.com, where you can stream all rounds of competition for free.
GB Climbing team for the 2024 OQS series:
Women
Erin McNeice
Molly Thompson-Smith
Men
Jack MacDougall
Hamish McArthur
Max (Maximillian) Milne
Jim (James) Pope
GB Climbing Coaching team
Rachel Carr, GB Climbing Coach & Head of Delegation
Personal Coaches
Ellie Glennie
Mark Glennie
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