Second Olympic Bronze at Paris 2024

On August 5, 2024, it was time to compete. Months of intense physical preparation, mental training, talk and thoughts were put aside. The biggest stage in an athlete's life was about to be performed on. It was time for the Olympic Games.

For Schubert, the Boulder & Lead competitions in Paris 2024 could not have turned out more thrilling and ultimately earned him his second Olympic bronze medal after Tokio.

Strong Start in Boulder Qualifiers

Schubert began the competition in Le Bourget with a solid performance during the boulder qualification round. Despite the challenging problems, he quickly topped the first boulder – being the first competitor of the day to be able to do so. "I wasn’t aware at the time, but a weight lifted off my shoulders once I realized it," Schubert remarked, acknowledging the energy of the crowd that fueled his effort. He finished the round with 44.7 points, securing sixth place overall and relieved that he had avoided the stress of trailing behind. "The biggest relief was knowing I wouldn’t spend an entire day overthinking a bad bouldering round. Now, I can rest well and focus on delivering in lead," he said.

A Challenging Lead Qualifier

In the lead qualification, Schubert faced a very tricky route that saw many athletes fall early. Even though the 33-year-old Tyrolean could not fully capitalize on his lead climbing strengths, he managed to secure fifth place overall, advancing to the final. "It was difficult," he noted. "The route was hard, just how I like it, but I played it safe. In hindsight, I underperformed." Still, his goal of reaching the final was achieved. "Today’s mindset was simple: survive and make the final. On finals day, it’s all or nothing," Schubert commented.

A Gritty Performance in the Finals

The final day of competition saw Schubert finish the bouldering round in fifth place, with 43.6 points, after a few missed opportunities. Notably, the second of four boulder problems was in a style he usually favours, but he couldn’t figure it out, a mistake he felt cost him a higher podium position. "The second boulder was close – a very physical problem, normally my strength. However, I struggled with shoulder power today. It was frustrating." Schubert admitted, acknowledging that it likely cost him a different medal.

However, Schubert rebounded strongly in his favoured lead discipline, delivering a powerful and controlled climb. His 96 points on the route pushed him past Colin Duffy (USA), securing him a bronze medal with a total of 139.4 points. "After the boulder round, I had nothing to lose going into the lead climb. I found my rhythm and climbed well. I’m happy I managed to win another Olympic medal," Schubert remarked after the event.

Mixed Feelings

Although the six-time world champion expressed some disappointment over missed opportunities in the bouldering round, his dominant performance in lead underscored why he remains one of the best competition climbers in the world at the moment.

“A few days have passed since the finals, and while there's been a lot of celebrating and media work, I’ve started reflecting on my experience at Paris 2024. It's no secret I was aiming for a different color, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed with bronze.
I gave everything I had in the lead-up to these Games. The goal of becoming Olympic Champion fueled me with more motivation and energy than ever before. I worked hard on my weaknesses, like slabs and coordination moves, and focused on building the right mindset. For me, truly believing I can achieve my goal is essential. So, I spent the past year telling myself I had what it takes to win Gold. Looking back, there were missed opportunities in the final round. But that’s the nature of our sport—everything happens in seconds, and a small change could have meant a different outcome. Still, the men's field was the strongest I’ve ever competed in, and that makes me proud to walk away with my second Olympic medal. Saying that out loud definitely gives me goosebumps.”