Winning Gold, Veddriq Breaks the Rock Climbing World Record

– Indonesian representative Veddriq Leonardo won a gold medal as well as sharpened the world number record speed men at the Rock Climbing World Cup or IFSC – Climbing World Cup 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, Friday.

The 26-year-old athlete made sure to be the best after winning the final for gold with a time of 5.01 seconds, defeating a rock climber from China Jinbao Long who recorded a time of 5.12 seconds.

Previously, he also managed to break and sharpen world records in the rolling event in the Country of Ginseng.

In the qualifying round, Veddriq recorded 4.98 seconds to break the world record belonging to another Red and White rock climber, namely Kiromal Katibin with 5.00 seconds while appearing at the IFSC World Cup in Chamonix, France on 8 July 2022.

Shortly after, Veddriq impressed again in the quarter-final against Peng Wu of China, improving his new world record by clocking 4.90 seconds, leaving Wu to finish in 6.13 seconds.

Previously, General Chairperson of the Indonesian Rock Climbing Federation (FPTI) Yenny Wahid said that actually Veddriq and a number of other Indonesian rock climbing athletes managed to record a time of under five seconds in the training process.

“It’s just that we are still keeping it and apparently today it can be solved,” said Yenny, Friday.

In addition to winning gold number speed men, Indonesia also managed to win one bronze in number speed the daughter through Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi who recorded a time of 6.60 seconds in the third place match beat the Polish representative Aleksandra Kalucka with 6.71 seconds.

Overall, Indonesia sent nine rock climbing athletes to South Korea with details of six athletes speed son and three athletes speed daughter.

This result also increases the motivation of athletes to continue to excel, especially at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.

“Definitely (increasing motivation towards the Paris Olympics). We always emphasize to them that all of this is a process towards the Olympics. The Olympics is the real size,” said Yenny.