Meet Team USA: Get to Know the Four U.S. Athletes Competing for Sport Climbing Olympic Gold

Data source: IFSC

Nathaniel Coleman

Age: 24

Hometown: Murray, Utah

Instagram: @nathaniel.coleman

Specialty: Bouldering

Climbing style: He’s known for his adaptability, strength, flexibility, and coordination. He’s also considered a controlled and thoughtful climber with a calm demeanor, allowing him to excel under pressure. 

Nicknamed “Captain America”, Nathaniel Coleman was the second U.S. climber to qualify for the Olympic Games. He is one of the best American boulderers, although don’t count him out for lead and speed climbing. Since the announcement of the Olympic’s combined events, he’s become a strong all-around climber in every category, placing high rankings across the board. 

Nathaniel began climbing at the age of 9 and competing by the age of 15. A natural problem solver known for his calm demeanor, Nathaniel excelled in competitions, winning the USA Climbing Youth Bouldering Nationals in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016. He then went on to win three straight USA Climbing Bouldering Open National Championships from 2016 to 2018, coming in second in 2019. 

But the world really started to recognize Nathaniel as a powerhouse bouldering competitor in 2015 when as an 18-year-old he came in 2nd place at the Bouldering World Cup in Toronto. The very next weekend, he pulled off the same podium spot with a 2nd win in Vail. His back-to-back success garnered him the nickname “Captain America”, which only takes on more meaning as he heads to Tokyo as part of Team USA.

Although known for his bouldering, Nathaniel placed 12th and 14th in lead climbing at the 2019 World Cups in Chamonix and Briançon. He then went on to qualify for the Olympics in Toulouse, France, where he placed 6th in speed climbing, 6th in bouldering, and 4th in lead climbing, proving that he could be an all-around contender for the podium in Tokyo. 

Data source: IFSC

Kyra Condie

Age: 25

Hometown: Shoreview, Minnesota

Instagram: @kyra_condie

Specialty: Bouldering

Climbing style: She’s known for her fast, confident, dynamic, and aggressive climbing style. Her spinal fusion makes some technical movements hard, forcing her to lean on her strength and speed. 

The third qualifier for the sport climbing USA Olympic team is Kyra Condie. She secured her ticket to Tokyo at the Toulouse qualification event in 2019, placing 7th in the combined discipline. 

Kyra began climbing at the age of 10 and started competing by 13. But her journey as a professional athlete almost came to an end when she was diagnosed with severe idiopathic scoliosis. Doctors told her she might never be able to climb again. 

But after recovering from spinal fusion surgery in 2010, she returned to competitive climbing a few months later. This makes her climbing career that much more impressive knowing that early on any fall could have majorly impacted her spine and ended her career for good.

After her recovery, Kyra wasted no time getting back in the game and went on to win the Youth Bouldering National Championships in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Some of her more recent achievements include high Bouldering World Cup placements including 5th in Vail, 6th in Tai’an, and 8th in Meiringen. She also won the combined discipline at the Pan-American Championship in 2018, with a 6th place finish in bouldering, 4th in lead, and 5th in speed. 

While Kyra’s specialty is bouldering, she also has a background in speed climbing and has secured semifinal placements in several lead climbing competitions. In this last season of competition, she’s secured high rankings across lead, speed, and bouldering including four 14th place finishes at World Cups and in the World Championships in Japan. This means she is a force to be reckoned with across all Olympic disciplines! 

Data source: IFSC

Colin Duffy

Age: 17

Hometown: Broomfield, Colorado

Instagram: @colinclimbs

Specialty: All-around contender 

Climbing style: He’s known for his dynamic and almost parkour-like movements on the wall. He’s also spent a lot of his quarantine training his strength and endurance. 

Although he’s the youngest athlete on the sport climbing Olympic roster, Colin Duffy is not one to overlook. He’s the second male and fourth climber to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team and has made quite a name for himself in the youth circuit. 

Colin started climbing at the age of four and joined Team ABC, one of the United State’s elite youth climbing programs, not too long after. He trains alongside fellow Olympian Brooke Raboutou. His Team ABC background makes him a contender for all three climbing disciplines, with high competition rankings across the board. He’s a ten-time Youth National Champion. In Youth World Champion competitions, Colin’s placed 1st in lead climbing, 4th in bouldering, and 14th in speed.

However, his real entry into the world of adult competitive climbing was the moment he scored his place on the Olympic team after winning the Pan-American Championship in 2020 (at the age of 16!). He had to beat incredibly talented climbers such as Zach Galla, Zander Waller, and Sean Bailey to secure his place on the team, proving that he is a contender for the biggest competition of them all. 

And not only is he a major competition threat, but Colin has also made a name for himself by climbing three impressive 5.14 climbs at the Red River Gorge in just a few days. As such a young athlete, it’s clear that we can expect a lot from Colin, not just in these upcoming Olympic Games but in the future of competitive climbing. We look forward to what will undoubtedly be a successful climbing career for this young athlete! 

The excitement starts on August 3! For more information on how it all works and where to tune in make sure to check out our blog post Sport Climbing At the 2020 Olympics: Everything You Need to Know. You can also catch the Olympic games with your climbing crew at BKB! We’ll have the Olympic Games streaming in our spaces all month long. Learn more here.

Data source: IFSC