For Garnbret, gold just seconds away
Innsbruck, 9 September - Slovenian climbing prodigy Janja Garnbret has won silver at the Climbing World Championship in Innsbruck. Both her and the Austrian Jessica Pilz reached the top in the lead event on Saturday, but Garnbret needed eleven seconds longer though still well under the six-minute limit.
Kranj
Slovenian sports climber Janja Garnbret.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA
File photo
Garnbret had won gold at the previous championships, but she said she was not disappointed. "I'm proud to have been either first or second the entire season and it is excellent that the World Championship has started with a medal," she said.
Nevertheless, the outcome appears to have left a bitter aftertaste. "I think that no lead competitor should be classified by time, regardless of the rank ... I knew that time would be decisive, but it is a bit sad that we were just seconds apart."
The 19-year-old already has an eye on the bouldering event. "I know I can win that, or the same thing may happen again, but in any case I'm looking forward to the boulders," she said.
Garnbret's is the 11th medal for Slovenia at World Climbing Championships.