Janja Garnbret

Rise of a champion

Janja Garnbret grew up in Slovenia, a country with a strong climbing culture, and started climbing as a child. She won youth world titles and moved into the senior World Cup as a teenager, quickly becoming one of the best lead and bouldering climbers in the world.

Dominance

In the 2019 season she won every bouldering World Cup she entered, an unprecedented clean sweep. She has won many world championship titles in lead, bouldering and combined events. At the Tokyo 2020 Games, held in 2021, she won the first women's Olympic climbing gold, and at Paris 2024 she won again in boulder and lead.

What makes her special

Garnbret is known for reading routes quickly, staying calm under pressure and moving with precise footwork that saves energy. She can also produce dynamic, powerful moves when needed. Coaches often point to her consistency: she rarely makes mistakes in finals.

Watching her climb

Fans often study Garnbret's competition climbs to see how she places her feet precisely and shifts her hips close to the wall to save arm strength. In boulder rounds, she often takes time to read the problem before her first attempt, then commits fully. Her finals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 are available as highlights on official Olympic and IFSC channels, and are great viewing for young climbers.

Garnbret has also spoken about protecting her health and taking breaks from competition, an important message in a sport where finger and shoulder injuries are common.

Beyond competition

Garnbret also climbs hard routes on real rock, which many competition climbers do between seasons. She has spoken about balancing training with rest and enjoyment, a message many young climbers look up to. Her success helped make climbing more popular in Slovenia and across Europe.

Professionals, don't try this: these athletes train for years with coaches, safety systems and spotters. Start at a supervised gym or club and progress slowly.

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