11: Stasa Gejo, Serbia’s Climbing Star
Stasa is a boulder and lead climber (specializing in boulder) from Serbia who has been competing in international cups since 2011 as a youth climber. Most recently, she took the silver medal in the Laval European Qualifiers. In this episode, we’ll learn about Serbian funding in the sport and OQS, we’ll get a glimpse into what bouldering isolation is like, hear some tales from the commentary booth, and hear her reflect on the 2023 season.
Timestamps
Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Introduction
6:46 - Stasa's early climbing start
16:09 - Growing up in a climbing family
24:45 - How does bouldering isolation work?
33:00 - Trying to calculate your competition
35:25 - Physical and emotion state between quails, semis, and finals
39:55 - Finals mental game
42:15 - Routesetting + height (being a taller competitor)
49:31 - Interest in commentating
54:52 - Embarrassing commentating moments
57:54 - Funding the Serbian climbing team
1:04:07 - Climbing scene in Serbia, climbing resources
1:07:25 - Will comp climbing be less collaborative now that there's money involved
1:10:38 - 2023 season reflection
1:15:19 - Climbers being too starstruck to talk to each other
1:18:50 - Juggling masters degree with competitions
1:22:27 - Currently binge watching...
1:25:30 - Viola/Violin Talk
1:28:21 - How OQS works
1:31:48 - Preparing for OQS
1:35:44 - Discord Q: Do you get negative responses to your on stage emotions?
1:37:48 - Discord Q: Differences between how national teams train?
1:39:16 - Discord Q: What do you like about Munich?
1:43:16 - Discord comment: berating Janja for celebrating before clipping
1:45:06 - Discord Q: Current outdoor projects?
1:48:20 - Where to find Stasa + Outro
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There was always rumors like that, like, oh, look at these crazy parents.
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They're trying to live their dreams through their daughter and they're forcing her
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because my dad was like, please stop climbing with them.
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Please stop.
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Rest, rest.
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Like he's someone very big who, you know, did big things and then
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I'm just hanging around.
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Welcome to the season two kickoff of the That's Not Real Climbing podcast.
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I'm your host Jinni and I'm super excited to introduce my guest for today.
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Stasa Gejo.
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This is super special to me because she has been my favorite climber on the circuit.
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So I'm so happy to have gotten the chance to talk to her in season two.
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For those who aren't familiar Stasa is a boulder and lead climber, more of a boulderer
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from Serbia who has been competing in international cups since 2011 as a youth
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climber.
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In this episode, we'll learn about Serbian funding in the sport and OQS.
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We'll get a glimpse into what bouldering isolation is like.
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Here are some tales from the commentary booth and hear her reflect on the 2023 season.
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Hope you enjoy this episode with Stasa.
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All right.
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Yeah, we can just get right into it then.
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How are you doing today?
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Yeah, pretty well.
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Doing a lot of trainings, going from one to the other session, visiting different gyms.
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So yeah, it's good.
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You just moved to a new location recently?
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Well, I mean, I've been in Munich for the last four years or four years and a few months,
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but I have checked in a flat here.
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Oh, okay.
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Okay.
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So not too bad.
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Yeah.
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Well, it was just the holidays.
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New Year's is coming up.
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Do you have any New Year's plans?
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Actually, tomorrow morning I'm flying to Stockholm where my sister lives.
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So I'm going to spend New Year's Eve with my sister and her family.
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Okay.
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Exciting.
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Do you do like New Year's resolutions by any chance?
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I know.
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Never really.
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Well, anyways, they're kind of pointless, but I don't know.
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Maybe I did do them when I was a teenager, but totally not anymore.
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It's not.
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If there's a resolution that can come at any point.
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So yeah, that's true.
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Yeah.
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I don't think I have any either.
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I was wondering if I should make some, because I ask everybody and then they asked me back
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and I'm like, oh, I don't have any.
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I didn't think of any.
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I was wondering if I should though.
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Do you have like year long goals that you think of?
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Well, my year, technically it's not like a calendar year.
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I see it more as the season year, like early related competition season.
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So like my new year has already begun with the winter training and started like end of
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November.
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So I'm already in 2024.
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I think 2020 is basically some paper.
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So yeah, like after the season ends and when the new one begins, you kind of see what you
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want to get better at, which new skills do you want to learn?
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I don't know.
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I wish they go back to handstands a little bit.
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So maybe that's something I'd like to get a little bit better at besides all the climbing
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stuff.
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But yeah, it's like you set yourself some goals.
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Obviously my main goal is to qualify for Olympics and then there's like some other goals on the
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way there.
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So yeah, so I look at it a bit differently, but yeah, new rules, revolutions.
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I don't know.
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My whole life is at this point in time revolving purely around climbing.
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So it's all basically related to that.
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And handstands, I guess.
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Yeah, that will help me get my shoulders a bit stronger.
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Also related to climbing their foot.
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Yeah.
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No, actually, I recently watched a video that inspired me to want to do handstands, but I
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have never been able to do one.
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So I don't think that's going to pan out.
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Me neither.
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Oh, me neither.
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I've never been able to do a full one.
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No.
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Oh, come on.
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I mean, what I do is I just throw myself up against the wall and then I try to balance
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it.
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I feel like I'm doing everything wrong.
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Firstly, I'm so uncoordinated upside down, like I know where my legs are, where my head
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is.
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And then that comes the balance as well.
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So yeah, there was a point in time where I was doing my bachelor's and where I did handstands
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and the break between study and a couple of hours maybe.
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And then I would just do a few handstands and then continue studying.
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And I came to a point where I could lift off the door or the wall for 10, 20 seconds, but
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I haven't really done it since, so now I'm back at it again.
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I feel like my shoulders need to be stronger.
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I'm back at it again, I feel like my shoulders need a lot of stability.
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So that's one of the things to improve it, I guess.
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Yeah, maybe I should try it out.
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And then I've seen those videos where they do, I guess, like a cartwheel on the boulder.
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Oh, those show up this year.
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Oh, I really hope that never comes to the world.
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I mean, I can do cartwheels.
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Also, an interesting thing that I've realized is that my whole life, I've been doing cartwheels
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on one side only.
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So right hand first, then left hand.
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Then I realized, oh, I don't think I've ever tried the other side.
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And then I tried it and it was horrible.
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It was like, you know, children trying to learn it for the first time and horribly wrong.
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So then I've practiced that.
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It's still a bit clumsy, but I can do it now on the other side too.
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It's just weird.
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It's like so unnatural.
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Yeah, definitely.
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I mean, pretty impressive, I think.
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I have never managed to either.
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So good for you.
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Good for you.
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Do cartwheels first and then handstand.
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I think it's easier.
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Yeah, I think that's true.
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I, you know, my shoulders, I can't take it right now.
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Maybe later.
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You can only get that.
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All right, so we can get right into it.
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First, do you want to just give a brief overview of your climbing career, I guess, and like
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how you started climbing, when you started competing, all that good stuff?
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I'd say I started competing when I was, how old was I?
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Like seven years old, perhaps.
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I usually take it like approximately the age of like the year 2004.
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Because this is the first time I went to an international competition.
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It was in Bulgaria in Velikotrnov.
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But I was, yeah, six or seven years old.
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So it wasn't very successful nor serious, I'd say.
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But this is around the time where I pretty regularly did like these kids national comps
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and tried like, I competed as much as I could.
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Also, because my parents couldn't always get like my grandma, one or the other one to babysit
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when they took their club and the other members to competitions.
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So at a certain point where I could also technically climb or do something there, then they'd take
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me just with them.
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So I was very, let's say an angry little person who was the youngest in the category and was
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angry because she couldn't win.
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Yeah, so I was basically super competitive from the very beginning, like, oh, I want to win.
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But you're like half the size of everyone else.
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I was like, I don't care.
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I want to win.
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What's the older, the older end of that range for the youngest category?
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It depends.
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Like it really depended on competition to competition.
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But sometimes it's like eight years old and younger.
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That was usual.
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And then, I don't know, they probably didn't let kids that are younger than five years old
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compete, obviously, but I think there was one count where I was two years younger than
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the weather.
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But yeah, so that went on and I got better and better, started eventually winning, satisfying
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my well, competitive needs that having given bigger balls, I climbed a lot outdoors because
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we have a family house in the country.
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It's called the Alashnitsa.
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It's close to the city of Nizh, where I was born.
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So yeah, I spent basically, I think, once or twice a week rock climbing.
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I think that really improved my technique because kind of rock forces you to find solutions
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technically.
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Most of the time when it's like slab or vertical.
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So I think that played a big role in my climbing development and developing my own style.
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And at the age of 12, I think it was 12, but it should be as long as my memory holds, maybe
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a rock.
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But at the age of 12, I was either the youngest female or maybe the youngest ever to do an
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8b route.
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So maybe my stats were wrong, but there was something like this.
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At the time, that was a big thing to do, like an 8b route, Red Point.
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As a 12 year old person was pretty big deal.
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Nowadays, kids much higher grades, they do nine A's at that age.
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It's a different world now.
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So I shifted from kids' comps to youth competitions, which are way more official.
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It's under the IFSC.
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And yeah, I've won quite a lot of medals there.
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And I basically crowned my junior years with basically winning every competition within
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two years, except the last world championship where I got seven.
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But the year before in ARCO 2015, I won the world youth championships there in Bouldering
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and in combined.
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So well, yeah, that was the first time I fulfilled one of my really, really big goals to become
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world champion.
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And about that time, I started shifting already towards the senior categories, making my first
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finals, which then led me to now having three world championship bronze medals.
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And yeah, World Cup medals, all of them brought so far.
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I was very close to a silver one this year, but I made too many attempts.
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Which one was that again?
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Why, Brixton, yeah.
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Okay, yeah.
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Yeah, I was just going to quickly take my stats out because I'm just a bit confused
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if I'm getting my numbers right.
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I'm not really sure, but let's see.
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How often do you check those?
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Not that often, actually.
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Just when I need some together, okay, three world championship.
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Is it one?
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Two?
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No, two bronze medals.
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Very confusing world championship.
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Innsbruck third and then Moscow third.
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Yeah, okay, that's about it.
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Yeah, correct.
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There are two in the championship and then another three in the world.
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Yeah, I also won the European Championship in Munich in Bouldering in 2017.
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And this was like the most, I think also the highlight of my career so far because it was
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a super final, which really, really rarely happens.
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And it was a funny cop because they couldn't find an organizer that year for the European
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Championship.
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So they had to organize it within a world.
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So the best idea they could come up with, the organizers that you see at the time, was
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to have the semifinals results define the European Championship.
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But what happened was that Yana Ganderes and I had the exact same score in semifinals,
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so we shared the first place and there was no count back because it was two groups.
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So they were like, okay, we need to crown a champion somehow.
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How are we going to do it?
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Well, in this particular case, you have to go with a super final.
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And I've never been in an actual international level super final before.
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That happened only once before.
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So they gave us one of the men's semifinal bowlers.
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I don't know if they changed it a bit, maybe slightly tweaked it, but in this format, every
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move counts.
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So no classic start.
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There's no like four points.
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They just told us, well, you can start however you like.
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And yeah, then every move counts.
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So one climber goes, one attempt.
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The other climbers behind the wall.
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Then the other day, then we switch.
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I go behind the wall, Yana comes out.
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And then if Yana climbs lower than me, I win.
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If Yana climbs higher than me, she wins.
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But there was a massive jump, already like second move.
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So we both fell on it, like two rounds in.
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On the third round, I think, I managed to stick the dyno.
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And then I did two more moves and a plus.
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And then it was like, well, either Yana falls on the jump again and I win, or she does the
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jump and then we see how far she gets.
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But then she fell on the jump and technically then I won.
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And before that, I thought when I heard that the system is counting every move, that Yana
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was already then way, way better at climbing and endurance.
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At that time, I didn't even continually lead as far as I remember.
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Not that much at all.
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So I thought, oh, she's going to get me.
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Immediately, she has more endurance than me.
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If this is like by the number of moves, she probably wins.
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But then yeah, then it was a jump.
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And that was the play advantage.
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It was a super intense competition.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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I don't think I've actually seen it.
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00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,280
I'm assuming it's online somewhere that we could watch.
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It is online.
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00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:03,520
I think there is like a short review of it, but also some slow-mo's.
256
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It's on YouTube.
257
00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:05,520
Okay.
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I'll find it.
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I'll link it and we can all watch and see the highlight of your career.
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00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:15,720
But going back to you growing up amongst climbing.
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Yeah, you come from a family of climbers.
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And I was wondering what it's like growing up in that environment because I think a lot
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of people who get into climbing just like recently got into climbing.
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And so they have no idea what it's like growing up in that kind of environment.
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And I was wondering if you kind of ever felt like you were forced into climbing or competing
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because I think your parents also did competitions.
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And I think a lot of people who grow up being forced to do certain activities kind of grow
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to resent it.
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So yeah, it was a wonderful experience with that.
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Well, I'm still not resenting it, I think.
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So that's a good sign.
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So my mom competed a lot.
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She was doing all the national and Balkan championships and she was third, I think,
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or even the Balkan champion at the time.
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And so there was like this whole competition vibe and outdoors vibe in my family.
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My father is an alpinist.
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He went to the Himalayas, to Andes, to...
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He was like a mountain guide all over the world.
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And he also basically founded this climbing club in our town and bolted some roots in
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this climbing area where I lived in.
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So yeah, it was a whole basically climbing environment.
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I was playing with the gear when I was a kid, when I was really, really like a toddler.
283
00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:57,080
And then I saw everyone basically as a child, you copy what everyone else is doing.
284
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Everyone's climbing.
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I want to climb.
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And then I convinced them to put a top rope for me, or rather convinced them to just tie
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me up.
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What did I know what the top rope was back then?
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And then if it were too hard for me, then I would cry because, oh, I cannot climb or
290
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I'm scared of the height or the classic toddler tantrums.
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00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:28,680
But yeah, as I was getting more and more into it, I had phases where I didn't want to climb
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at all.
293
00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,440
I would just play around and not be bothered.
294
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And there were periods where I really wanted to reach the top as many times as I could.
295
00:18:41,380 --> 00:18:48,000
But as how it developed to me getting into actual competition climbing was more that
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we started traveling.
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00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:58,160
And we went to Slovenia, often to Bulgaria, also to Austria, where I had a chance to compete
298
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with kids my age.
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And I was making really, really good progress, like year by year, season by season.
300
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We went on training camps all over Europe, or Balkans also.
301
00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:18,960
And I was improving and then I slowly started getting to the podium and getting really psyched
302
00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:19,960
to train.
303
00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:25,600
And so we saw that, I mean, rather my parents saw that I have quite a potential.
304
00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:29,880
So they said it would be a pity to waste it.
305
00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:36,220
So we basically put everything into designing and traveling and going to competitions and
306
00:19:36,220 --> 00:19:41,640
basically for them also to develop in their coaching, as well as me developing in my climbing
307
00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,360
and training as well.
308
00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:51,520
If I was forced to climb, yeah, on occasions, probably, sure.
309
00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:58,960
But it's just because I was a child with no discipline, no sense of discipline and planning.
310
00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,220
What does a 10 year old know or a 12 year old know?
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00:20:02,220 --> 00:20:05,100
How often they need to train and what they need to do.
312
00:20:05,100 --> 00:20:07,920
So these things are normal.
313
00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,960
It wasn't tortured really far away from that.
314
00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,040
It was just like, well, yeah, today we're going to go outdoor climbing.
315
00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,960
But no, I don't want to.
316
00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:17,960
Well we're going.
317
00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:23,000
So pack yourself and go.
318
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,020
This is how I learned the discipline.
319
00:20:26,020 --> 00:20:33,360
And because there were no other coaches, well, my mom and dad had to do it to teach me how
320
00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:37,880
this training process works.
321
00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:44,720
And yeah, if your parents are your coaches, there is this continuum and not a clear line
322
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between coaches and parents.
323
00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,760
It intertwines a lot.
324
00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:56,160
So this part, the private part gets a little bit more difficult to handle at times.
325
00:20:56,160 --> 00:21:00,720
But when there is no one else to show you that, what are you going to do?
326
00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:05,700
This is what you have and this is the activity you've chosen you like and you enjoy doing.
327
00:21:05,700 --> 00:21:11,520
So yeah, sure, sometimes it's going to be hard, but it's not the end of the world.
328
00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:16,360
I wasn't living my parents' expectations or whatever.
329
00:21:16,360 --> 00:21:20,800
There was always rumors like that, like, oh, look at these crazy parents.
330
00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:24,360
They're trying to live their dreams through their daughter and they're forcing her.
331
00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:28,800
Like really, I hated when people made those comments because it's like the easiest thing
332
00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:29,800
to say.
333
00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:30,800
Poor thing.
334
00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:31,800
I mean, come on.
335
00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:39,120
Okay, debunking that myth right here.
336
00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:40,120
Yeah.
337
00:21:40,120 --> 00:21:44,960
I mean, sometimes like, yeah, sure, on a few occasions you're going to make your child cry
338
00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,440
or that child is not going to want to go to training.
339
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,720
But also nowadays, sometimes I don't want to go training.
340
00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:52,880
I'm like, oh, everything hurts.
341
00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:54,520
I just want to stay at home.
342
00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:58,960
But then I have to kick myself and then go.
343
00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,160
And I still do that to myself.
344
00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:02,880
You know, someone's got to do it.
345
00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:10,200
And if you want to be successful and if you want to improve, that's sometimes, yeah, this
346
00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:15,080
comfort that you have to deal with, which I think is absolutely natural and normal.
347
00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:16,080
So yeah.
348
00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:21,720
I think by climbing up upbringing and well, general upbringing was great.
349
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:30,000
And I think my parents did a really great job in teaching me what matters, how to be
350
00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:37,640
disciplined, how to work smartly and too hard, not over training.
351
00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,280
I think I learned everything.
352
00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:40,280
Right.
353
00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:41,280
Good to know.
354
00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,480
Good to know that you weren't forced into anything you didn't want to do.
355
00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:50,480
Yeah, I think that makes sense because even if your parents force you to do something,
356
00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:56,560
you also personally have to enjoy it and put in the work to actually get good enough at
357
00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:57,560
it.
358
00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:02,760
There were things I was forced to do that I didn't like doing and I still never ended
359
00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,120
up getting good at it because I didn't like it.
360
00:23:06,120 --> 00:23:09,840
So yeah, that's a pity.
361
00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,560
It's sad to see when someone's forced into something, you know, and you can see that
362
00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,760
it's not so tortured.
363
00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:24,000
But these things happen and sometimes for parents, it's also hard to know which is the
364
00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,400
sport for their child.
365
00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:31,120
You know, their parents that send their child from one sport to the other, they try five
366
00:23:31,120 --> 00:23:37,040
different sports within a year and then they end up not liking anything.
367
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:43,480
But you have to try to guide them somehow and then maybe you make a mistake and that's
368
00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:44,480
not it.
369
00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,120
But in my case, of course, I liked a lot of other sports.
370
00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:55,040
I wanted to play football and I did play it in school a lot, but it didn't go with climbing.
371
00:23:55,040 --> 00:24:00,600
It was a priority then we decided once we started really sacrificing a lot and giving
372
00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:02,800
everything in for the competitions.
373
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,860
And then suddenly I start getting really good in football and people want to get me in their
374
00:24:07,860 --> 00:24:12,980
clubs and whatever to play, I don't know what leagues, teenager leagues.
375
00:24:12,980 --> 00:24:16,320
And then my dad just, nope, no football.
376
00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,960
She needs to go to the competitions.
377
00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:19,960
She'll get injured.
378
00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,840
They'll break her legs.
379
00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:24,420
I'm not allowing it.
380
00:24:24,420 --> 00:24:30,160
So yeah, the school league was the maximum I got to in football.
381
00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:31,560
Yeah, makes sense.
382
00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,960
And I think people just kind of, people want to like make up that story because it makes
383
00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:37,240
it, it makes things more interesting.
384
00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:43,240
You know, it makes it a bit more like, oh, there's like a tough upbringing there.
385
00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:44,240
It would be interesting.
386
00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:45,240
Yeah, no, no.
387
00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:47,440
It's the right way to go.
388
00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,960
Let's go into your World Cup experience.
389
00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:55,320
Another thing that viewers don't know a lot about, people always want to know what's
390
00:24:55,320 --> 00:25:02,000
going on behind the scenes in isolation and just what's going on in your mind as you're
391
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:03,000
competing.
392
00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,680
And I think Matt Groom also really wants to know what goes on behind the scenes in isolation.
393
00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:14,520
So this is something he wanted me to discuss, I think.
394
00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,240
So what is it like in isolation?
395
00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:18,320
What do you do?
396
00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,440
What do other athletes do?
397
00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:28,280
In isolation you spend, well, between two hours and then I guess the upper limit doesn't
398
00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:33,080
exist but technically some people stay in for about four hours sometimes or longer if
399
00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:34,400
they're more competitors.
400
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,360
But it all comes down to the ranking and the starting list.
401
00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:44,200
So if your ranking is good in ball drink, you start within the first.
402
00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:51,060
So and the people without the ranking are then randomly sorted in the bottom half.
403
00:25:51,060 --> 00:25:57,280
And then yeah, someone has to start last and therefore we have this isolation, which some
404
00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:01,120
people are starting to be more and more against it.
405
00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:06,920
And there were some changes trying to be made to include Flash also into ball drink like
406
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,040
it's in lead where we don't have ISO in lead.
407
00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:15,920
We watch each other, we have the demonstrations and then the start list is randomized.
408
00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:21,520
But I'm also amongst those old school people who really like the isolation and I don't
409
00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,000
want to give it up.
410
00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:31,100
And I mean, there are quite a few people who still share this old school sort of opinion,
411
00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:36,240
but there have been more and more suggestions to try to switch to the Flash format and it's
412
00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:41,200
already been done on the European cups and the youth cups.
413
00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:50,280
But it brings a lot of other organizational problems and also excludes this problem solving
414
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,560
this which is quite crucial in ball drink.
415
00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:58,480
It's like in lead it is not as pronounced as it is in ball drink.
416
00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:03,040
Sometimes that's the main trick to solve a ball drink.
417
00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:07,800
So although yeah, it is just a qualifying round, but anyways, let me not bother you
418
00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:08,800
with this topic.
419
00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:15,080
But yeah, isolation is basically a space where you have no information about the outside
420
00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:16,080
world.
421
00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:22,440
So you have no idea who did what, what are the results, what are the boulders?
422
00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:26,220
You know nothing.
423
00:27:26,220 --> 00:27:28,120
And there you can warm up.
424
00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:30,440
There is a warm up wall.
425
00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:35,800
Since Corona there are also like these pull up bars or like just bars where we can hang
426
00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:42,560
our hang boards to warm up if there's no already provided finger boards.
427
00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:49,240
So what happens is for example, my routine is to start stretching, enjoying mobility
428
00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:55,660
exercises two hours before the start or like two hours, 10 minutes perhaps.
429
00:27:55,660 --> 00:27:58,600
So I do that for around 30 to 40 minutes.
430
00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:03,440
In between I also start warming up my fingers on the finger board, but this mostly consists
431
00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:14,940
of yoga elements with classic warm up exercises, some elastic band exercises as well.
432
00:28:14,940 --> 00:28:22,480
And then after those 30 to 40 minutes, I start going onto the wall with slow traversing,
433
00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,440
big holds, slow start basically.
434
00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:34,000
And then starting with defining some boulders until you, like basically just as if it were
435
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:41,120
a training session where you warm up and you start gradually from easy to harder pulls.
436
00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:48,760
And in these like remaining hour and a half, I take usually two rests of like 10 to 15
437
00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:55,200
minutes in between so that I don't get too tired.
438
00:28:55,200 --> 00:29:01,600
And then the rest is just saving your skin and trying to do moves and boulders that include
439
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:06,840
as many different elements that could appear in the competition as possible.
440
00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:14,720
So you would try toggle catch, paddle, dinos, high step, balancing, like anything that you
441
00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:21,600
can try that you think is most likely to be on the combat that gives you like a general
442
00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,480
wide range to warm up.
443
00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,440
So this is what we do.
444
00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:32,760
Sometimes we join like in small groups of different people that do stuff together from
445
00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:40,480
different nations as well, or it's teams separately.
446
00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:48,960
Thankfully in climbing people are still open to like join in or to let you join them.
447
00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:53,220
So for example, if let's say a Korean hulk coach has a really cool boulder that I want
448
00:29:53,220 --> 00:29:58,400
to try and I don't know all the details and I can ask them, hey, can you please tell me
449
00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,480
how this boulder went or can I join you in on this boulder?
450
00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:03,080
Can you explain it to me?
451
00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:08,840
And like almost all the time people are very happy to welcome you in their boulder and
452
00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:10,240
be like, yeah, sure.
453
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:11,240
Here's the start.
454
00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:12,960
You go there and then there.
455
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,340
We're trying to do this and this and if there's like a liminates or like a specific move you
456
00:30:16,340 --> 00:30:18,920
want to do and they find that too.
457
00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,160
So this is nice like boulder.
458
00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:26,400
Boulders it looks also like a little session.
459
00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:33,960
But I also heard that it's more pronounced in the men's warmup that they give each other
460
00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:38,560
such hard boulders that they already start the competition in the ISO.
461
00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:43,040
And apparently this happens way more often with men and that the coaches try to like
462
00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:44,680
pull them back.
463
00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:49,920
And this is also like an old trick of maybe more experienced climbers when the new young
464
00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:54,960
guns come in like 16, 17 year olds, like the strong ones that they want to show off and
465
00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,280
they just give them like something really hard all the time.
466
00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:04,320
And like to basically tire them out or to make them, yeah, they make them feel good
467
00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,760
but then they get a bit tired.
468
00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:08,320
And the strategy.
469
00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:13,760
Yeah, the more experienced ones don't care so much about the warmup really or how they
470
00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:15,880
perform on the warmup.
471
00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,440
There's not much ego involved in that.
472
00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:26,480
Oh yeah and females, I think this was done to me once because my dad was like, please
473
00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,520
stop climbing with them.
474
00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:29,520
Please stop, rest, rest.
475
00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:34,920
He's like, no, I have to do this another boulder and this boulder and I need to do this jump.
476
00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:41,320
And all that old crew was like, hey Stasja, come over, let us show you another one.
477
00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:46,040
And of course my performance on the competition itself was horrible.
478
00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,080
Even though I was great in the warmup.
479
00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,120
Have you ever paid it forward and done that to someone?
480
00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:52,120
No.
481
00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,160
Not that you're willing to admit.
482
00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:57,160
No, no.
483
00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,840
No, I haven't done that.
484
00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:08,080
But yeah, and then when it's about 15 to, it's like 10 to 15 minutes before your start,
485
00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:11,760
they usually take you off the isolation zone and you go to the transit zone behind the
486
00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:13,000
boulder.
487
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:19,640
So basically around 20 minutes before your start, you should do your last toilet run,
488
00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:24,480
pack your snacks, sort what you need immediately with you.
489
00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:30,320
Frying shoes, another pair of shoes, liquid chalk, fan, snacks, stuff like this, water,
490
00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:32,360
other liquids.
491
00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:36,560
And then I try to sort things out and you get some boxes where you can sort the bags
492
00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:40,380
and the shoes and everything.
493
00:32:40,380 --> 00:32:46,600
So yeah, you give yourself also a little rest, it was like 20 minutes before the start.
494
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:47,920
And then it goes.
495
00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:52,800
Then behind the wall, yeah, it's two groups in the qualies and semi-finals, it's just
496
00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:54,720
one group.
497
00:32:54,720 --> 00:33:00,760
And you have the chairs, it's basically just a chair, maybe a water dispenser and your
498
00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:02,360
box with your stuff.
499
00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:06,880
And all the people are basically coming in and returning to the same place.
500
00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:12,320
So you can see who came back earlier, who's in which boulder, you can try to figure out,
501
00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:15,600
calculate or see which chair they're on or something like this.
502
00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:22,840
So this is the place where you start getting some information in, but it's just basically
503
00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:24,180
from behavior.
504
00:33:24,180 --> 00:33:31,160
It's either the crowd cheering and then the moderator will probably say the name of the
505
00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:33,320
person who's climbing something.
506
00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:38,160
And then you can figure out, yeah, okay, this boulder is to be done quickly, this one's
507
00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:39,160
hard.
508
00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:44,800
You can see the pattern of what's going on when you arrive behind the wall, but that's
509
00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:46,160
it.
510
00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:55,120
We're not allowed any electronic devices, nothing that can have an internet or Bluetooth
511
00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:56,120
connection.
512
00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:58,200
So nothing with a wireless connection.
513
00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,800
So smartwatches, headphones have to be wired.
514
00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:07,560
You need to have this mp3 player without any connections possible.
515
00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:15,640
Yeah, everyone leaves all the electronic devices in like a bag at the entrance of the ISO and
516
00:34:15,640 --> 00:34:25,080
then the coaches or whoever picks it up at the exit, you will exit the isolation conditions.
517
00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:26,260
Yeah.
518
00:34:26,260 --> 00:34:31,380
And so do you prefer to listen to the crowd noise from ISO or are you one of those people
519
00:34:31,380 --> 00:34:36,920
who wants to just zone out and not know what's going on?
520
00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:38,240
Depends.
521
00:34:38,240 --> 00:34:42,080
Mostly, mostly it's pretty upsetting, I think.
522
00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:43,160
I don't like it.
523
00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:49,360
So I like to pump up my volume as much so that I don't hear the moderator.
524
00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:52,520
Like I can probably hear the crowd, but I don't want to hear the moderator and which
525
00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:54,120
name.
526
00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:59,160
Sometimes it's easier for me not to know literally anything where I just close my eyes and try
527
00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:04,880
not to see who came back when so that I go without any expectations, without any pressure,
528
00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,920
just blank, just go in and climb.
529
00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:13,360
Sometimes I like to know what's going on so that I can be better prepared.
530
00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,520
It depends what kind of mood I'm in that day.
531
00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:22,400
If I'm more nervous, I'd like to know less, but if I'm really hyped up and if that crowd
532
00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:27,080
makes me even more motivated, then I'll probably just listen to each other.
533
00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:28,560
Okay.
534
00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:35,080
And how do you feel between qualies versus semis versus finals?
535
00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:38,800
I guess like physically and emotionally.
536
00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:42,840
That's a very good question because there is a massive difference between the rounds.
537
00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:53,620
So in qualies, in qualies I go a bit more chilled in because I almost always make semifinals.
538
00:35:53,620 --> 00:35:56,840
So I trust my ability.
539
00:35:56,840 --> 00:36:01,600
It's been only a few occasions that I haven't made semis.
540
00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:04,280
So I go a little bit more tactical.
541
00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:10,960
If I see it's going too well, I try to do a couple of attempts more so that I'm not
542
00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:15,640
really first, but that my rank is a little bit lower so I don't have to start last.
543
00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:18,740
I hate starting last.
544
00:36:18,740 --> 00:36:24,160
So if I see that I'm doing a little bit too well, then I just try to add on more attempts.
545
00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:29,200
My chances of not winning the round are better.
546
00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:31,080
It's super satisfying when you win a round.
547
00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:36,400
Don't get me wrong, but then you regret it the next day when the holes are much, much
548
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:39,240
dirtier, but sometimes you can't control it.
549
00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:44,120
If you've played too much with this tactics game, you can be out very easily.
550
00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:54,280
So qualies is a little bit more chilled because the boulders are not so brutal usually.
551
00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:57,400
And then semifinals, it's a fight to death.
552
00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:02,640
I think semifinals are usually the hardest, physically the hardest round.
553
00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:04,360
Yeah.
554
00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:08,240
Because this is where you have to sort the field from 20 to six in bowling.
555
00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:13,800
And it's a very tough thing to do.
556
00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:19,280
And because finals, you'd think finals might be the hardest, but for finals people usually
557
00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,360
don't have much skin left and everyone's tired.
558
00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:29,520
So technically, yeah, it depends of course, come to come.
559
00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:33,600
But finals is more a show off.
560
00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:35,280
They want more boulders for TV.
561
00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:41,240
They need at least two ballers top, at least one top by everyone or like almost everyone.
562
00:37:41,240 --> 00:37:45,720
So now this is like TV tactics, which I don't like.
563
00:37:45,720 --> 00:37:49,760
Nobody likes it, but then it makes the finals shorter.
564
00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:51,240
The audience likes it.
565
00:37:51,240 --> 00:37:54,760
Yeah, the audience likes it and it makes it more based on attempts than actual number
566
00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:59,000
of tops, usually, like not depends.
567
00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:06,240
But semifinals is the most stressful and the toughest.
568
00:38:06,240 --> 00:38:07,880
Because it doesn't let you breathe really.
569
00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:14,920
It's four boulders, really tough, really tough boulders with yeah, two parts in each boulder.
570
00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:19,480
It's like if you do the first part and you get the zone, the top is usually not granted.
571
00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:22,240
Like you can still mess it up.
572
00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:27,400
So in qualies, you try to save your skin so you have perfect skin for semis.
573
00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:31,120
And then in semis, you try to give your best so you can make the final because this is
574
00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:34,160
the hardest part basically.
575
00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:38,640
And then in finals, there's so many different factors that can play along.
576
00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:44,520
Like it's your style, everyone's a bit more tired.
577
00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:48,920
This is also like this long-term endurance thing or like power endurance, how long can
578
00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,060
you push.
579
00:38:52,060 --> 00:38:55,200
So the three rounds are completely different from each other.
580
00:38:55,200 --> 00:39:01,520
Also, I think the finals are pretty boring when it comes to the waiting time because
581
00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:03,020
it's no rotations.
582
00:39:03,020 --> 00:39:07,640
It's four minutes and then you wait until you're next round.
583
00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:10,640
And then there's also commercial breaks.
584
00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:18,740
So yeah, you wait for 20 minutes plus extra two to 30 minutes between climbers and commercial
585
00:39:18,740 --> 00:39:19,740
breaks and stuff.
586
00:39:19,740 --> 00:39:26,160
Of course, if everyone flashes, it goes faster, but I always found it like really boring and
587
00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:28,200
like, ah, I need to wait.
588
00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:35,760
And every thought that you have just stands in your head for so long.
589
00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:40,240
And semifinals and qualifiers is just pump, pump, pump, pump, five minutes in, five out.
590
00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:43,560
The only thing you need to focus on is to recover in the five minutes that you have
591
00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:47,360
between the both.
592
00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:51,560
And finals gives you a lot more time to think, which I really don't like.
593
00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:52,800
Oh, I get that.
594
00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:54,760
Yeah, like the dark thoughts seep in.
595
00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:57,760
You just go in circles.
596
00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:02,520
Which requires then a different kind of like mental strength.
597
00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:07,280
Sometimes I've had finals where I've held my concentration perfectly well.
598
00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:12,680
And usually at these comps I did really well also in finals.
599
00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:18,360
But as soon as it goes dark, it's like never a good finals for me.
600
00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:25,540
But yeah, also this amount of rounds and the tiredness makes you more susceptible to these
601
00:40:25,540 --> 00:40:28,320
negative thoughts.
602
00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:34,400
But I think I've learned a lot of tactics and they work I think better and better when
603
00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:35,680
I have finals.
604
00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:39,800
But sometimes sometimes you just don't have the energy for it.
605
00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:42,160
But yeah, that's part of the game.
606
00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:47,800
But it's also something that I'd like to work on a little bit more as well.
607
00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:49,880
To be like, to stay tough until the end.
608
00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:52,940
In Laval, this is what I did on the last comp.
609
00:40:52,940 --> 00:40:57,160
I feel like I managed to keep it cool even though I was really nervous.
610
00:40:57,160 --> 00:40:58,840
Maybe the most nervous ever.
611
00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:05,400
But I could keep it cool and stay on track until the end.
612
00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:12,140
Yeah, what kind of mental tactics do you use to stay focused?
613
00:41:12,140 --> 00:41:14,060
It also has a lot to do with music.
614
00:41:14,060 --> 00:41:16,120
With what kind of music?
615
00:41:16,120 --> 00:41:18,560
Dancing also or just some kind of jumping.
616
00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:26,400
Like staying lightly physically active and kind of pumped up and reminding myself of
617
00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:32,560
my qualities, of my being confident, staying confident.
618
00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:37,640
Deep breaths usually help me a lot to calm down and not be too pumped but also not too
619
00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:41,440
nervous.
620
00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:49,200
But usually it is just turning inwards, clearing the head and just breathe.
621
00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:56,540
I would love to see climbers playlists for staying focused in ISO.
622
00:41:56,540 --> 00:41:57,540
You should share that.
623
00:41:57,540 --> 00:42:00,800
That would be so interesting.
624
00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:09,440
It's all like in material MP3 files that we download somehow.
625
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:13,440
Well if you ever have time create a Spotify playlist, share it out.
626
00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:19,400
I'm sure people will be very interested to see.
627
00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:28,280
And so when it comes to viewers watching semis and finals, people always talk about setting
628
00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:30,760
and height a lot.
629
00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:35,680
And you are one of the taller competitors which I love because I'm technically a little
630
00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:40,520
bit taller and I feel like everyone I know is super short so it just doesn't work for
631
00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:41,520
me.
632
00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:48,080
How often does your height come into play for you when it comes to route setting?
633
00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:51,840
There was a time I think two years ago where it was in my head all the time where I saw
634
00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:55,360
myself being too tall in every boulder.
635
00:42:55,360 --> 00:43:05,560
But in the last two years since it's become a problem, I've found ways to work it out.
636
00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:11,600
And I've trained a lot the weakness and I need to find a different body position or
637
00:43:11,600 --> 00:43:18,800
I need to make my body work a little bit differently than the others do.
638
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:26,320
It's mostly difficult if it's really feet in your head, stuff like this.
639
00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:31,920
Usually in slabs they try to make you put your foot next to your face which for me then
640
00:43:31,920 --> 00:43:38,880
creates a massive lever and then it's hard to get out of certain positions and to try
641
00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:44,160
to stay in balance or the path that you need to take is way longer.
642
00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:51,400
So it's details but it's something that can be worked on but the problem with it is that
643
00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:59,240
it takes so much longer and then sometimes the adaptability is a bit more difficult.
644
00:43:59,240 --> 00:44:07,800
But now yeah, it's working better and better I must say.
645
00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:13,240
The most disappointing thing is when I see that it's harder for me because I'm taller
646
00:44:13,240 --> 00:44:20,080
and I try to accept it as it is and then I work through it and I just brainstorm and
647
00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:23,520
see and trial and error, see what works.
648
00:44:23,520 --> 00:44:27,680
And then someone comes, oh yeah but it's so much harder for you, you're so much taller.
649
00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:32,240
And then when someone really confirms it in my face, come on, I'm trying to forget about
650
00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:33,240
it.
651
00:44:33,240 --> 00:44:35,120
Don't give me that attitude.
652
00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:36,640
I know, right?
653
00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:44,200
So when you hear it that often, it gets in your head but I haven't had this experience
654
00:44:44,200 --> 00:44:53,120
as much in the last couple of months or like the second part of the season.
655
00:44:53,120 --> 00:45:00,840
So it's better and I think also the root setters are probably a bit more aware of it since
656
00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:05,320
it was talked about a little bit more and I've raised this issue a couple of times.
657
00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:12,600
So when testing, all sorts of heights are trying to do a boulder and then they see if
658
00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:14,640
it's possible or not.
659
00:45:14,640 --> 00:45:19,940
But it's always going to be some things will be easier for taller and harder for shorter
660
00:45:19,940 --> 00:45:21,160
and vice versa.
661
00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:28,600
It's inevitable but now the idea is to make it really possible and as fair as possible
662
00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:32,720
for everyone, for every body type.
663
00:45:32,720 --> 00:45:34,440
I think it's quite okay.
664
00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:40,280
Yeah, do you think there's one that's like being taller or shorter that's more of an
665
00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:42,120
advantage or disadvantage?
666
00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:47,880
Because a lot of comments, it's very easy to tell when being too short is difficult
667
00:45:47,880 --> 00:45:53,080
because they just like can't reach it or it's like they have to jump a lot further.
668
00:45:53,080 --> 00:46:00,040
And so that's what all the comments kind of start to get geared towards.
669
00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:04,800
And yeah, is there more of a disadvantage being shorter?
670
00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:09,240
Nowadays, I don't think so anymore.
671
00:46:09,240 --> 00:46:17,120
Also being jumpy is something you can train and while making yourself smaller is something
672
00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:20,600
that you can train a little bit.
673
00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:26,640
I would say it's impossible but it's way more difficult because there's often a lot of stress
674
00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:33,480
in the back, in the lower back when you're basically trying to deadlift all the time,
675
00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:34,480
I think.
676
00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:37,560
But also with shoulders sometimes.
677
00:46:37,560 --> 00:46:43,400
But yeah, that it requires you to be way more mobile and way stronger in your end points
678
00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:45,640
of the range of motion.
679
00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:47,280
But maybe it's a personal thing.
680
00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:53,360
I felt like training jumping was way easier for me than training mobility.
681
00:46:53,360 --> 00:47:01,800
So naturally, short climbers need to have this leg power that they can jump off the
682
00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:07,580
ground and basically be able to do dinos.
683
00:47:07,580 --> 00:47:13,880
So this is the show of leg training that climbers like to avoid.
684
00:47:13,880 --> 00:47:23,000
So I feel like maybe it's a cultural, climbing cultural excuse to not train legs and then
685
00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:27,000
the relative was short but we can't reach.
686
00:47:27,000 --> 00:47:32,120
But yeah, there are certainly a lot of moves where they're way easier for me where I have
687
00:47:32,120 --> 00:47:40,880
to jump minimally to reach them, where someone needs to do a full power output.
688
00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:47,480
But as I said, there was a time I think two years ago or even last year where shorter
689
00:47:47,480 --> 00:47:51,000
climbers had a massive advantage.
690
00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:55,820
And also bouldering used to be a thing for taller people.
691
00:47:55,820 --> 00:47:59,560
So if you were short, you had nothing to do in bouldering, the lead was your discipline.
692
00:47:59,560 --> 00:48:08,880
And this was a thing back, yeah, 2012 till 2000, maybe 18.
693
00:48:08,880 --> 00:48:13,600
So everyone was just really tall and they were always bouldering, big moves, jumps.
694
00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:16,840
Let's just see as far as we can go.
695
00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:21,680
But in female category, the last two to three years, they were a lot of good but very, very
696
00:48:21,680 --> 00:48:22,680
short climbers.
697
00:48:22,680 --> 00:48:26,120
Like the best climbers are just really short now.
698
00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:29,080
Everyone's around one meter 60.
699
00:48:29,080 --> 00:48:31,480
And it's pretty insane to me.
700
00:48:31,480 --> 00:48:35,700
I just can't believe this is happening, but it's like a massive shift happened.
701
00:48:35,700 --> 00:48:41,320
And now everyone's suddenly much shorter, like on average.
702
00:48:41,320 --> 00:48:47,720
So of course then the setting kind of adapted, putting us taller people on a little bit of
703
00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:48,720
a downside.
704
00:48:48,720 --> 00:48:53,760
But I think this season it was way more balanced out because people got aware of it.
705
00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:56,480
So I think now it's quite okay.
706
00:48:56,480 --> 00:48:57,480
Interesting.
707
00:48:57,480 --> 00:49:00,240
So you could feel the difference as the years passed.
708
00:49:00,240 --> 00:49:02,800
Yeah, there were years.
709
00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:03,800
Maybe I improved.
710
00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:12,800
I don't know, but there were less situations where I couldn't move because something was
711
00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:13,920
too close.
712
00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:17,800
Please excuse this brief intermission, but I would just like to remind you that if you
713
00:49:17,800 --> 00:49:22,600
are enjoying this podcast, please follow and rate it on your preferred listening platform.
714
00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:26,280
If you're watching on YouTube, I would love to hear your discussion and thoughts in the
715
00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:27,960
comments below.
716
00:49:27,960 --> 00:49:32,720
Anything helps to push this podcast out to more people and get even more amazing guests
717
00:49:32,720 --> 00:49:33,720
on.
718
00:49:33,720 --> 00:49:34,720
So back to the show.
719
00:49:34,720 --> 00:49:38,800
This is kind of a detour, but I just wanted to ask about your commentating of World Cups
720
00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:39,800
as well.
721
00:49:39,800 --> 00:49:42,480
While we're on the topic of World Cups.
722
00:49:42,480 --> 00:49:49,400
I only recently learned that co-commentators get paid now and you've done it quite a bit.
723
00:49:49,400 --> 00:49:53,400
I mean, I guess you probably also did it before you would get paid to do it.
724
00:49:53,400 --> 00:50:00,200
So what kind of drew you to commentating and do you have interest in doing it more in the
725
00:50:00,200 --> 00:50:01,200
future?
726
00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:08,640
I feel like I've done it way more often before it was paid than now when it's paid.
727
00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:11,800
So no, I didn't make a fortune out of it.
728
00:50:11,800 --> 00:50:18,560
Yeah, co-commentators are paid 100 euros per round.
729
00:50:18,560 --> 00:50:25,000
And I think it was a strategy probably to encourage people and maybe as a possible career
730
00:50:25,000 --> 00:50:27,600
option like further on.
731
00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:32,880
For me, I got brought into it by Charlie Bosco back in the day.
732
00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:38,000
I think the first time I co-commented it was 2016 maybe.
733
00:50:38,000 --> 00:50:42,440
I can't remember if it was ARCA, probably ARCA or Paris, the World Champs.
734
00:50:42,440 --> 00:50:44,320
One of those two.
735
00:50:44,320 --> 00:50:50,320
And yeah, I hit it off pretty well with Charlie and he really liked inviting me also to the
736
00:50:50,320 --> 00:50:53,900
commentary box and I enjoyed it a lot.
737
00:50:53,900 --> 00:50:59,640
And then when Matt took over, we also caught an amazing vibe together in the commentary
738
00:50:59,640 --> 00:51:01,560
box really.
739
00:51:01,560 --> 00:51:09,160
It just worked pretty well from the start and as I already had some experience before.
740
00:51:09,160 --> 00:51:17,040
But nowadays, if I don't make finals, sometimes I feel a bit too tired to do the commentating
741
00:51:17,040 --> 00:51:24,360
and I feel like I'd rather watch than commentate, whereas before it was vice versa.
742
00:51:24,360 --> 00:51:31,640
And I did, I think, more lead commentaries than boulder.
743
00:51:31,640 --> 00:51:37,040
As in lead, it's a little bit less dynamic, so I prefer to talk to someone while I watch
744
00:51:37,040 --> 00:51:38,040
it.
745
00:51:38,040 --> 00:51:46,840
Whereas in bouldering, it's a little bit more intense and also I usually am pretty tired
746
00:51:46,840 --> 00:51:51,440
if I don't like, or even if I'm in the finals, I'm tired.
747
00:51:51,440 --> 00:51:53,880
It's a pretty intense competition.
748
00:51:53,880 --> 00:52:01,280
So either I watch it there on the spot or sometimes I stay in my hotel room and watch
749
00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:10,200
the stream because I don't feel likely enough to go and watch it in person or I don't want
750
00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:11,200
to mix with people.
751
00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:12,880
It depends.
752
00:52:12,880 --> 00:52:16,640
But yeah, commentary is fun.
753
00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:22,160
It was interesting to start doing it when Eurosport took over because you get like,
754
00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:27,840
I've probably met also explained, you get like different clues and you can hear when
755
00:52:27,840 --> 00:52:32,360
there is like this cut time when you have to stop talking and stuff.
756
00:52:32,360 --> 00:52:38,520
I was a little bit afraid prior to my first Eurosport commentary, but then I got into
757
00:52:38,520 --> 00:52:39,520
it quite well.
758
00:52:39,520 --> 00:52:45,400
So I think it was pretty good after that when I figured out how it works.
759
00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:47,080
But yeah, I don't know.
760
00:52:47,080 --> 00:52:51,800
It could be a potential thing to do after the climbing career.
761
00:52:51,800 --> 00:53:01,000
I don't know if that position will change because in a way I feel like maybe having
762
00:53:01,000 --> 00:53:09,040
athletes co-commentate is not the best thing because I feel like you'd want to have a professional
763
00:53:09,040 --> 00:53:17,080
do it so that there are two professional commentators and not athletes because yeah, sometimes you're
764
00:53:17,080 --> 00:53:21,080
going to have good co-commentary, sometimes not.
765
00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:25,360
And to have it sort of balanced, I feel like it's better to have a professional one.
766
00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:30,280
I know a lot of athletes who share that opinion.
767
00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:37,120
So maybe it will become a thing where former athletes will become, like will form a base
768
00:53:37,120 --> 00:53:44,520
for which they will be then hired to do the commentary because they have nothing to do
769
00:53:44,520 --> 00:53:48,920
with the competition then personally.
770
00:53:48,920 --> 00:53:49,920
It's just that job.
771
00:53:49,920 --> 00:53:58,080
And if you take athletes, there's always the emotions of everything that's connected to
772
00:53:58,080 --> 00:53:59,640
the performance and so on.
773
00:53:59,640 --> 00:54:06,200
So it's a little bit different and probably more subjective when you have athletes.
774
00:54:06,200 --> 00:54:07,880
But people seem to like that.
775
00:54:07,880 --> 00:54:13,400
I like that input and to explain what's happening because probably people don't know much what's
776
00:54:13,400 --> 00:54:17,880
happening behind the scenes, behind the wall and so on.
777
00:54:17,880 --> 00:54:28,580
So I think it could be a potential career spot for former athletes or for someone who's
778
00:54:28,580 --> 00:54:34,820
deciding to do just that and that it will move on from having athletes do it.
779
00:54:34,820 --> 00:54:39,440
So that could be an option for far future for me, I think.
780
00:54:39,440 --> 00:54:42,080
I mean, sure, I'll probably, yeah.
781
00:54:42,080 --> 00:54:44,880
I mean, it's an option.
782
00:54:44,880 --> 00:54:46,480
There's a lot of options.
783
00:54:46,480 --> 00:54:52,880
But yeah, as I said, I really like working with Matt.
784
00:54:52,880 --> 00:54:55,280
So that's also, it's fun.
785
00:54:55,280 --> 00:54:56,280
Yeah.
786
00:54:56,280 --> 00:54:59,040
I think a lot of people would hope that you would go back to commentating.
787
00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:02,320
I think you're a lot of people's favorite co-commentator.
788
00:55:02,320 --> 00:55:05,320
So people want to see it.
789
00:55:05,320 --> 00:55:11,040
Are there any embarrassing moments that you can think of when it comes to commentary for
790
00:55:11,040 --> 00:55:12,040
you?
791
00:55:12,040 --> 00:55:15,360
Oh yeah, of course.
792
00:55:15,360 --> 00:55:19,920
Often there were some phrases and Matt didn't even want to tell me what I said, but apparently
793
00:55:19,920 --> 00:55:28,360
I'd say something that could give hints towards other sexual meaning and that I would totally
794
00:55:28,360 --> 00:55:33,520
not notice it and then would just go on live.
795
00:55:33,520 --> 00:55:40,080
I think one's the worst was, the one I remember was when I was explaining why sometimes people
796
00:55:40,080 --> 00:55:44,600
choose to do heel hooks and some choose to do toe hooks.
797
00:55:44,600 --> 00:55:51,320
And they said, some people are heel hookers and the others are toe hookers.
798
00:55:51,320 --> 00:55:54,520
Perfect.
799
00:55:54,520 --> 00:56:02,140
And I realized that as soon as I said it, I was like, oh, that was a dick driver.
800
00:56:02,140 --> 00:56:05,320
And I don't know what else happened today.
801
00:56:05,320 --> 00:56:06,320
Something happened in the cold time.
802
00:56:06,320 --> 00:56:10,960
I can't remember what it was, but we both got so confused and then there was the cue
803
00:56:10,960 --> 00:56:17,520
time and this like silent time.
804
00:56:17,520 --> 00:56:22,720
And I don't know, there was like, we said it was like a technical incident, but something
805
00:56:22,720 --> 00:56:29,080
happened where I said something that Matt started to stop me, prevent me from saying
806
00:56:29,080 --> 00:56:30,080
something.
807
00:56:30,080 --> 00:56:31,080
I don't remember what it was.
808
00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:36,160
But then we just kind of tried to get the sentence completed.
809
00:56:36,160 --> 00:56:43,680
And then the cue time came in and we were both like, what is going on?
810
00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:46,360
Yeah, stuff like that, but not that much.
811
00:56:46,360 --> 00:56:47,360
Okay.
812
00:56:47,360 --> 00:56:48,480
No, that's good.
813
00:56:48,480 --> 00:56:51,240
I don't remember hearing that.
814
00:56:51,240 --> 00:56:57,040
Do you know which comp that might have been with the hooker talk?
815
00:56:57,040 --> 00:56:58,280
Maybe it was Chamonix last year.
816
00:56:58,280 --> 00:57:00,560
I can't remember.
817
00:57:00,560 --> 00:57:03,440
It was some lead comp.
818
00:57:03,440 --> 00:57:07,560
If I have time, I'll dig through and try to find out.
819
00:57:07,560 --> 00:57:11,760
I think I did last year, I did Coper and Chamonix.
820
00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:17,320
So one of those, I think maybe it was Coper last year.
821
00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:19,480
It's hard to remember.
822
00:57:19,480 --> 00:57:21,480
Yeah, that's embarrassing.
823
00:57:21,480 --> 00:57:25,480
Then apparently when I said, when I told Matt, like, did you hear what I said?
824
00:57:25,480 --> 00:57:27,000
What a stupid thing to do.
825
00:57:27,000 --> 00:57:28,760
Oh, you said something way worse.
826
00:57:28,760 --> 00:57:29,960
Like, what did I say?
827
00:57:29,960 --> 00:57:33,840
I'm not going to tell.
828
00:57:33,840 --> 00:57:36,520
You didn't look back and try to find what it was?
829
00:57:36,520 --> 00:57:39,200
No, no, I don't look back.
830
00:57:39,200 --> 00:57:44,240
I don't think I've ever listened to any commentary in my mind, except if I wanted to see a certain
831
00:57:44,240 --> 00:57:47,000
part of the video, but yeah.
832
00:57:47,000 --> 00:57:48,000
Okay.
833
00:57:48,000 --> 00:57:50,240
I'll try to find it.
834
00:57:50,240 --> 00:57:54,480
If I can find it, I'll link it and we can all take a listen.
835
00:57:54,480 --> 00:57:55,480
Everyone will relive it.
836
00:57:55,480 --> 00:57:57,880
Everyone will see what I said.
837
00:57:57,880 --> 00:58:07,920
So let's move on to stuff about funding and you being a one person team.
838
00:58:07,920 --> 00:58:13,060
So there is no Serbian team, I guess.
839
00:58:13,060 --> 00:58:15,600
You are kind of the entire team.
840
00:58:15,600 --> 00:58:18,320
So how does that kind of work?
841
00:58:18,320 --> 00:58:20,240
Well, there is a team.
842
00:58:20,240 --> 00:58:21,240
It exists.
843
00:58:21,240 --> 00:58:26,960
It is me and there are other members of the team, but they do not go to competitions that
844
00:58:26,960 --> 00:58:27,960
often.
845
00:58:27,960 --> 00:58:31,680
They visit one or two per year, perhaps.
846
00:58:31,680 --> 00:58:32,680
The ones that are close by.
847
00:58:32,680 --> 00:58:33,680
International or?
848
00:58:33,680 --> 00:58:36,680
Yes, yes, international.
849
00:58:36,680 --> 00:58:41,960
Either European Cups or World Cup in the nearby vicinity of the city where the people live
850
00:58:41,960 --> 00:58:42,960
in.
851
00:58:42,960 --> 00:58:51,000
But usually most of the time it is just me and my parents.
852
00:58:51,000 --> 00:58:54,720
So my dad is the head coach and my mom is the physio.
853
00:58:54,720 --> 00:58:57,560
So we've done this our whole life basically.
854
00:58:57,560 --> 00:59:00,960
So we just keep doing it.
855
00:59:00,960 --> 00:59:12,880
So the funding comes through a personal program by the Olympic Committee of Serbia and also
856
00:59:12,880 --> 00:59:21,120
the Ministry of Sports as an elite athlete.
857
00:59:21,120 --> 00:59:29,680
These two organizations have basically supported a good part of my career and they made possible
858
00:59:29,680 --> 00:59:36,240
to travel abroad and to travel to other continents.
859
00:59:36,240 --> 00:59:44,360
Because the US and East Asia were usually the furthest ones to get to and the most expensive
860
00:59:44,360 --> 00:59:45,360
ones.
861
00:59:45,360 --> 00:59:54,160
So there's also good support from the federation, from the National Climbing Federation as well.
862
00:59:54,160 --> 00:59:59,200
But yeah, their budget is not as big as the other two I've mentioned before.
863
00:59:59,200 --> 01:00:03,400
So they jump in when there's a need for it.
864
01:00:03,400 --> 01:00:11,760
But it's good to leave the rest of the budget for other kids who are competing and then
865
01:00:11,760 --> 01:00:18,960
potentially other seniors that want to take part in that competition and then for other
866
01:00:18,960 --> 01:00:21,400
things that the federation needs to do.
867
01:00:21,400 --> 01:00:26,400
But yeah, without the Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sport, I probably wouldn't
868
01:00:26,400 --> 01:00:31,200
be able to travel far and that often.
869
01:00:31,200 --> 01:00:36,440
But yeah, this is what keeps me going.
870
01:00:36,440 --> 01:00:38,840
And of course, this is also related to results.
871
01:00:38,840 --> 01:00:45,560
So if you have good results, you get awarded for the next year.
872
01:00:45,560 --> 01:00:47,060
So I need to perform.
873
01:00:47,060 --> 01:00:54,460
If I don't perform or it's less than a certain position, then it's less money and so on.
874
01:00:54,460 --> 01:00:59,800
So there's always some kind of pressure, but also not that much because the people that
875
01:00:59,800 --> 01:01:07,700
work with me from these organizations are very, very kind, very supportive.
876
01:01:07,700 --> 01:01:13,000
And it's really nice to have such contact with these people and to feel supported, to
877
01:01:13,000 --> 01:01:15,160
feel like belonging.
878
01:01:15,160 --> 01:01:17,640
Because yeah, as you said, there is no team.
879
01:01:17,640 --> 01:01:19,580
There is a team, but it's not big.
880
01:01:19,580 --> 01:01:20,880
And I'm the only competitor.
881
01:01:20,880 --> 01:01:30,000
So I don't have this kind of company usually from the same nation, from the same team.
882
01:01:30,000 --> 01:01:36,600
So it's nice to have this kind of support and the sense of belonging to an organization,
883
01:01:36,600 --> 01:01:43,680
to a team, to a bigger team in the sense like the Olympic team certainly, to have that behind
884
01:01:43,680 --> 01:01:51,440
me, to support me, to lift me up when it's good times and when it's bad times, it's a
885
01:01:51,440 --> 01:01:57,040
lovely group of people and I'm happy to have that in my life.
886
01:01:57,040 --> 01:01:58,040
Oh, okay.
887
01:01:58,040 --> 01:02:02,400
So that's like other, just like the Olympic team of Serbia in general.
888
01:02:02,400 --> 01:02:03,400
Yeah.
889
01:02:03,400 --> 01:02:09,680
So it's like the National Olympic Committee that has funding projects for teams and individuals
890
01:02:09,680 --> 01:02:19,200
who are like prospects for Olympic games, then they're in Olympic sports and they then
891
01:02:19,200 --> 01:02:24,800
fund like the great year-end programs and so on.
892
01:02:24,800 --> 01:02:31,720
And there are people who then follow your results, follow you, contact you often, support
893
01:02:31,720 --> 01:02:32,720
you and so on.
894
01:02:32,720 --> 01:02:36,160
And it's like when I say the Olympic team of Serbia, I mean also all the athletes who
895
01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:41,080
compete in the Olympic disciplines, former Olympians, hopefully future Olympians and so
896
01:02:41,080 --> 01:02:42,080
on.
897
01:02:42,080 --> 01:02:50,240
And it creates this kind of, this sense of unity with the others as well.
898
01:02:50,240 --> 01:02:57,360
Sometimes we have like some stuff to do together or like photo shoots or certain activities
899
01:02:57,360 --> 01:03:02,440
or we visit the sports fair and then there's this committee stand and then a lot of people
900
01:03:02,440 --> 01:03:09,680
from this team come that are involved in any kind of like program with the Olympic committee.
901
01:03:09,680 --> 01:03:13,040
And yeah, it's a very, very nice thing to do.
902
01:03:13,040 --> 01:03:19,400
And this is also one of my biggest reasons why I want to go to the Olympic Games because
903
01:03:19,400 --> 01:03:23,800
I want to be like also in person, in competition, I want to be a part of that team.
904
01:03:23,800 --> 01:03:26,600
I want to be there with my whole nation.
905
01:03:26,600 --> 01:03:31,760
Like with all the athletes who compete at the Olympics, I just want to be with them
906
01:03:31,760 --> 01:03:38,520
and experience that kind of event.
907
01:03:38,520 --> 01:03:41,320
That really, really motivates me.
908
01:03:41,320 --> 01:03:46,720
I don't think anyone has any confusion why people would be motivated to be in the Olympics.
909
01:03:46,720 --> 01:03:48,720
That'd be a dream.
910
01:03:48,720 --> 01:03:54,820
Yeah, there are different things about Olympics that motivate people.
911
01:03:54,820 --> 01:03:57,880
Like someone just wants to be the Olympic winner, you know, or you just want to be a
912
01:03:57,880 --> 01:03:58,880
part of the experience.
913
01:03:58,880 --> 01:04:09,800
But this like nation connected reason is really, I think, one of the few biggest things about
914
01:04:09,800 --> 01:04:11,400
it that I like.
915
01:04:11,400 --> 01:04:12,400
Yeah.
916
01:04:12,400 --> 01:04:17,840
And so I guess specifically, I'm not sure what the climbing scene is like in Serbia.
917
01:04:17,840 --> 01:04:20,760
I mean, you don't currently live there.
918
01:04:20,760 --> 01:04:27,480
So I'm assuming maybe the gym scene there is not as built out or there's just like more
919
01:04:27,480 --> 01:04:32,680
access to like coaches and centers in Germany.
920
01:04:32,680 --> 01:04:38,720
What resources do you feel like you have access to and what do you wish you had access to?
921
01:04:38,720 --> 01:04:48,520
Yeah, Serbia sadly is still not following the trends as would be expected in 2020-3
922
01:04:48,520 --> 01:04:52,560
now still.
923
01:04:52,560 --> 01:05:00,120
It has massively developed, thankfully, and there are a lot of people who climb and a
924
01:05:00,120 --> 01:05:02,200
lot of people climb outdoors too.
925
01:05:02,200 --> 01:05:11,040
I feel like this elite scene is more on the side of the rock climbing, whereas the beginner
926
01:05:11,040 --> 01:05:14,480
and commercial climbing is of course more popular.
927
01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:19,640
In their bouldering gyms, there have been quite a few openings, especially in Belgrade
928
01:05:19,640 --> 01:05:29,840
and also in Ijsh, we have a new wall since a year or more than a year, which is great.
929
01:05:29,840 --> 01:05:34,280
And I find they have like a really, really good place to train when I go home.
930
01:05:34,280 --> 01:05:37,720
And I'm really, really happy to have that.
931
01:05:37,720 --> 01:05:43,800
Because when I was a kid, it was not even close to the conditions that now exist in
932
01:05:43,800 --> 01:05:45,120
my hometown.
933
01:05:45,120 --> 01:05:51,240
But yeah, there is not enough coaches, not enough room setters, even though there is
934
01:05:51,240 --> 01:05:56,400
obviously work being done in this area.
935
01:05:56,400 --> 01:06:05,400
We bring foreign specialists and they hold seminars in Serbia to teach people.
936
01:06:05,400 --> 01:06:13,440
I still believe that more work should be done, but it's also like we don't have enough people
937
01:06:13,440 --> 01:06:20,520
in it that have been there for a long time to be able to gain this knowledge and experience.
938
01:06:20,520 --> 01:06:24,640
So it's all fairly new, so to say.
939
01:06:24,640 --> 01:06:33,800
But yeah, I lived in Slovenia from 2014 until 2019.
940
01:06:33,800 --> 01:06:38,380
And I was there for schooling and also training.
941
01:06:38,380 --> 01:06:47,000
And then I enrolled in the master's program in 2019 in September, October, and in Munich.
942
01:06:47,000 --> 01:06:49,760
So I'm still here.
943
01:06:49,760 --> 01:06:56,280
And yeah, here I have like a little base in Munich and a lot of neighboring cities that
944
01:06:56,280 --> 01:07:01,160
have amazing gyms and really good root setting that I can access.
945
01:07:01,160 --> 01:07:08,880
So it's maybe currently for me in this part of Europe, yeah, for me the perfect spot to
946
01:07:08,880 --> 01:07:11,880
be in.
947
01:07:11,880 --> 01:07:17,200
And of course it will require some traveling to Austria further down south, back to Slovenia
948
01:07:17,200 --> 01:07:21,040
also and to France for some training camps.
949
01:07:21,040 --> 01:07:24,360
But now I feel like I'm very, very central.
950
01:07:24,360 --> 01:07:30,040
You know, I have a lot of opportunities in the nearest cities around me.
951
01:07:30,040 --> 01:07:33,680
And so back to the financial portion.
952
01:07:33,680 --> 01:07:37,240
I think climbing has always been a very collaborative sport.
953
01:07:37,240 --> 01:07:40,280
People are always reading routes together, helping each other out.
954
01:07:40,280 --> 01:07:45,600
And ISO, like you had mentioned, even though it's like a competition.
955
01:07:45,600 --> 01:07:51,560
And now that there's more like money and fame tied to it with the Olympics, are you like
956
01:07:51,560 --> 01:07:56,760
concerned that's something that's going to change or go away?
957
01:07:56,760 --> 01:08:03,360
I'm afraid it will, but maybe not that fast.
958
01:08:03,360 --> 01:08:09,520
I think it's kind of an advantage to have both old school people in climbing and the
959
01:08:09,520 --> 01:08:14,080
new school people in climbing to keep the balance kind of going so that the sport doesn't
960
01:08:14,080 --> 01:08:25,800
go fully commercial and forget its roots, so to say, the culture and so on.
961
01:08:25,800 --> 01:08:34,520
It might happen sooner or later, but so far it's been quite all right.
962
01:08:34,520 --> 01:08:40,480
It hasn't had too much of bad influence, but also there hasn't really been, I think, enough
963
01:08:40,480 --> 01:08:45,720
financial inflow to the athletes.
964
01:08:45,720 --> 01:08:55,200
I feel like we all need a bit better sponsoring contracts than the companies can afford.
965
01:08:55,200 --> 01:08:57,300
This is the second vicious circle.
966
01:08:57,300 --> 01:09:02,400
The outdoor companies don't have enough money because they're outdoor companies and they
967
01:09:02,400 --> 01:09:07,280
can't give a lot of their budget for a lot of people.
968
01:09:07,280 --> 01:09:14,160
And then the athletes don't earn enough from the sponsors because it's still considered
969
01:09:14,160 --> 01:09:19,600
to be an urban slash outdoor sport, which not.
970
01:09:19,600 --> 01:09:26,360
Like competition climbing, sorry, has nothing to do with being urban or outdoor.
971
01:09:26,360 --> 01:09:34,040
Yeah, but sadly it all still runs in a kind of a different world, so there are not that
972
01:09:34,040 --> 01:09:38,560
many sponsorships that come outside of climbing.
973
01:09:38,560 --> 01:09:44,200
There are some, but a bit more nowadays, but still not as much as it should be for an Olympic
974
01:09:44,200 --> 01:09:46,240
sport.
975
01:09:46,240 --> 01:09:58,440
But yeah, so far when it comes to interpersonal relationships and contacts, I think it's still
976
01:09:58,440 --> 01:10:01,360
quite all right and quite as it was.
977
01:10:01,360 --> 01:10:07,320
Maybe there are some new kids coming in who are new to the world and see it from different
978
01:10:07,320 --> 01:10:14,280
perspective and have come in the time and place where it has become way more commercial.
979
01:10:14,280 --> 01:10:16,940
And this is the world they know.
980
01:10:16,940 --> 01:10:28,480
So like the difference sometimes is noticeable, like with ambitions or maybe, yeah, how you
981
01:10:28,480 --> 01:10:36,400
show yourself to the world, but yeah, not such drastic differences really yet.
982
01:10:36,400 --> 01:10:40,040
Hopefully it'll still be a nice environment to be in.
983
01:10:40,040 --> 01:10:42,880
Yeah, I hope so too.
984
01:10:42,880 --> 01:10:44,460
Yeah, okay.
985
01:10:44,460 --> 01:10:52,720
So looking back on the 2023 season, I think you mentioned it was not the best season for
986
01:10:52,720 --> 01:10:54,720
you.
987
01:10:54,720 --> 01:11:01,200
Now that you've had a little bit of time to reflect on it, how are you feeling about it?
988
01:11:01,200 --> 01:11:02,200
Still bad?
989
01:11:02,200 --> 01:11:03,200
Low lights, highlights?
990
01:11:03,200 --> 01:11:08,760
Yeah, I think when we talked last time, it was still quite fresh from the end of the
991
01:11:08,760 --> 01:11:09,900
season.
992
01:11:09,900 --> 01:11:16,000
But now when I look back, really I just can see how much progress I've made.
993
01:11:16,000 --> 01:11:20,080
It was a really chaotic season because it was so many competitions on different parts
994
01:11:20,080 --> 01:11:26,640
of the world in such a short period of time that people needed to skip comps, you needed
995
01:11:26,640 --> 01:11:33,320
to be tactical about it, and it was pretty hard to endure it all.
996
01:11:33,320 --> 01:11:40,080
But in the end, yeah, I mean, I had pretty great results.
997
01:11:40,080 --> 01:11:46,200
I had a bronze in Brixen and the silver on the European Qualifier, which was probably
998
01:11:46,200 --> 01:11:48,480
the performance of the year for me.
999
01:11:48,480 --> 01:12:00,680
I was so flowy and really strong both mentally and physically, so I felt that I really peaked
1000
01:12:00,680 --> 01:12:03,840
at the end, so to say.
1001
01:12:03,840 --> 01:12:12,200
Yeah, there were a lot of unfortunate moments, of course, but it was a process.
1002
01:12:12,200 --> 01:12:17,120
The last competition of the year was the most important anyway, so everything before that
1003
01:12:17,120 --> 01:12:20,640
was kind of the path towards it.
1004
01:12:20,640 --> 01:12:24,560
Even though I missed out on the Olympic ticket for just one spot, well, again now for the
1005
01:12:24,560 --> 01:12:29,240
second time, I don't think it was bad.
1006
01:12:29,240 --> 01:12:36,520
I think it was a pretty great experience for me, a good introduction to know what's the
1007
01:12:36,520 --> 01:12:42,120
format going to look like at DOQS in terms of the amount of days, the amount of rounds,
1008
01:12:42,120 --> 01:12:44,120
rests, and so on.
1009
01:12:44,120 --> 01:12:49,080
Pretty exhausting though, but now I know what it is, so it doesn't come as a surprise at
1010
01:12:49,080 --> 01:12:50,080
DOQS.
1011
01:12:50,080 --> 01:12:54,640
But yeah, all in all, it was all right.
1012
01:12:54,640 --> 01:12:55,640
It was all right.
1013
01:12:55,640 --> 01:12:56,640
I think it was good.
1014
01:12:56,640 --> 01:13:06,240
There was a lot of positives, a lot of learning how to deal with myself, approaching problems,
1015
01:13:06,240 --> 01:13:08,000
people.
1016
01:13:08,000 --> 01:13:17,080
I've realized actually, I thought that this new generation of people are just really closed
1017
01:13:17,080 --> 01:13:23,680
in their own bubble and nobody wants to communicate and nobody reaches out, nobody approaches.
1018
01:13:23,680 --> 01:13:28,520
I thought, well, nobody approaches me like, what's up with all these people?
1019
01:13:28,520 --> 01:13:31,520
The people that I know, of course, I have a normal relationship with.
1020
01:13:31,520 --> 01:13:39,240
But every time that there's something new and they seem to communicate within their
1021
01:13:39,240 --> 01:13:48,280
own small circles, I thought, yeah, I don't know, everyone's getting too proud or so
1022
01:13:48,280 --> 01:13:54,600
and so on, but then I've heard that I'm probably not the most approachable person either.
1023
01:13:54,600 --> 01:14:03,320
And then when I started approaching people myself as a already much experienced, I won't
1024
01:14:03,320 --> 01:14:10,680
say old, but experienced in the comp scene, when I started approaching the kids and talking
1025
01:14:10,680 --> 01:14:17,800
to them, being the first one to break, then I would figure out how many of them are just
1026
01:14:17,800 --> 01:14:20,760
really nice and kind people.
1027
01:14:20,760 --> 01:14:28,640
And this spread of kindness was something that really motivated me on a few comps.
1028
01:14:28,640 --> 01:14:36,440
Just being there and seeing how nice people are was really cool because I've judged it
1029
01:14:36,440 --> 01:14:40,240
otherwise before as I didn't have the full picture.
1030
01:14:40,240 --> 01:14:44,460
And when you don't talk to someone, you don't know who they are and what they do.
1031
01:14:44,460 --> 01:14:48,280
You just see them compete and how they behave.
1032
01:14:48,280 --> 01:14:55,840
So that was very inspiring to have this sense of a community again.
1033
01:14:55,840 --> 01:14:57,200
That's just pretty nice.
1034
01:14:57,200 --> 01:15:01,280
That's one of the biggest takeouts of this year as well.
1035
01:15:01,280 --> 01:15:07,120
Well, yeah, sadly, I have to do the work and the approaching, but it's worth it.
1036
01:15:07,120 --> 01:15:08,680
No, I think that makes sense.
1037
01:15:08,680 --> 01:15:10,160
I mean, they're younger.
1038
01:15:10,160 --> 01:15:16,880
They probably have watched you climb and are probably fans as well.
1039
01:15:16,880 --> 01:15:23,280
And when you're a fan of someone, it's very, very, very, very, very scary to approach someone
1040
01:15:23,280 --> 01:15:24,280
and try to talk to.
1041
01:15:24,280 --> 01:15:27,360
Yeah, I've heard that some people were scared of me also.
1042
01:15:27,360 --> 01:15:29,200
I think Brooke said that.
1043
01:15:29,200 --> 01:15:33,800
I think Brooke was really terrified the first time I saw her or something like that.
1044
01:15:33,800 --> 01:15:39,560
I think she went through a mom and I know her mom since I was a kid.
1045
01:15:39,560 --> 01:15:44,600
And well, Brooke was I think still around there, but we didn't know each other and she
1046
01:15:44,600 --> 01:15:47,280
was really a toddler back then.
1047
01:15:47,280 --> 01:15:54,680
And I've approached Robin in ARCO, I think 2008 maybe.
1048
01:15:54,680 --> 01:15:57,520
It was really a long time ago.
1049
01:15:57,520 --> 01:16:07,200
And my parents used to have these VHS videos of her training, like yeah, training movies
1050
01:16:07,200 --> 01:16:13,240
of Robin, Robert True, Everest filled Robert True.
1051
01:16:13,240 --> 01:16:14,240
And they were really big fans.
1052
01:16:14,240 --> 01:16:19,080
And they were like, oh, let's get to know each other.
1053
01:16:19,080 --> 01:16:20,080
Let's greet her.
1054
01:16:20,080 --> 01:16:23,480
And then we met and it was really lovely.
1055
01:16:23,480 --> 01:16:24,720
I mean, I didn't watch these videos.
1056
01:16:24,720 --> 01:16:25,720
I was really tiny.
1057
01:16:25,720 --> 01:16:30,720
So I know, but apparently my parents, she's a big memory.
1058
01:16:30,720 --> 01:16:33,920
So I said, okay, let me meet someone like that.
1059
01:16:33,920 --> 01:16:34,920
She was really lovely.
1060
01:16:34,920 --> 01:16:39,960
And she remembered me from then and then we always greet each other in every competition
1061
01:16:39,960 --> 01:16:42,440
and she watched me grow up basically.
1062
01:16:42,440 --> 01:16:46,080
And then Brooke came into World Cups.
1063
01:16:46,080 --> 01:16:51,120
She told mom Stasha is really scary.
1064
01:16:51,120 --> 01:16:54,840
She just started laughing because Robin doesn't know me being scary.
1065
01:16:54,840 --> 01:16:57,440
And she's like, oh Brooke, it's fine.
1066
01:16:57,440 --> 01:16:59,240
She's actually really nice.
1067
01:16:59,240 --> 01:17:02,960
That's funny.
1068
01:17:02,960 --> 01:17:06,800
It's good to know that other competitors also get really scared.
1069
01:17:06,800 --> 01:17:10,400
It's just, it's scary talking to people.
1070
01:17:10,400 --> 01:17:12,280
Yeah it is.
1071
01:17:12,280 --> 01:17:21,200
Is there anyone that you're scared to talk to?
1072
01:17:21,200 --> 01:17:22,200
I don't know.
1073
01:17:22,200 --> 01:17:24,680
Maybe, I don't know if it's really fear.
1074
01:17:24,680 --> 01:17:30,780
I don't know if I'm scared, but it's definitely not on the same level.
1075
01:17:30,780 --> 01:17:33,900
Like Adam Andra perhaps.
1076
01:17:33,900 --> 01:17:39,000
He doesn't visit competitions that often.
1077
01:17:39,000 --> 01:17:41,960
So I don't get to interact with him almost at all.
1078
01:17:41,960 --> 01:17:49,360
I don't know if we've spoken a few words even a few times, but it always feels like
1079
01:17:49,360 --> 01:17:58,480
he's someone very big who did big things and then I'm just hanging around.
1080
01:17:58,480 --> 01:17:59,840
That's a little bit how it feels.
1081
01:17:59,840 --> 01:18:03,640
But everyone else I really, I know for a long time now.
1082
01:18:03,640 --> 01:18:08,440
So it's not a big deal anymore, but Andra is not around that often.
1083
01:18:08,440 --> 01:18:11,080
So I think most of it.
1084
01:18:11,080 --> 01:18:16,880
And this is just such a big name, you know, that yeah, when you're not used to someone
1085
01:18:16,880 --> 01:18:17,880
like that.
1086
01:18:17,880 --> 01:18:24,800
It's funny because also maybe people would feel like this with Yanya as well, but with
1087
01:18:24,800 --> 01:18:29,760
Yanya it's like completely the opposite because I've trained with her when we were teenagers.
1088
01:18:29,760 --> 01:18:34,800
So I know her for a long time since she was 14 basically.
1089
01:18:34,800 --> 01:18:42,640
So we're really good friends and yeah, that's quite the opposite side of it.
1090
01:18:42,640 --> 01:18:43,960
Yeah, that makes sense.
1091
01:18:43,960 --> 01:18:47,820
Well, I hope you can meet him one day.
1092
01:18:47,820 --> 01:18:49,960
Have a nice chat.
1093
01:18:49,960 --> 01:18:50,960
Maybe.
1094
01:18:50,960 --> 01:18:54,820
We'll see.
1095
01:18:54,820 --> 01:19:00,500
So yeah, back to the 2023 season, you were also juggling university and getting your
1096
01:19:00,500 --> 01:19:03,440
master's degree along with the season.
1097
01:19:03,440 --> 01:19:05,360
So how did you manage that?
1098
01:19:05,360 --> 01:19:09,480
I had to give up on some free time activities firstly.
1099
01:19:09,480 --> 01:19:17,000
Like I play viola and I played in some amateur orchestra here in Munich.
1100
01:19:17,000 --> 01:19:26,140
And I realized that I need to finish uni this summer and that I don't have enough time.
1101
01:19:26,140 --> 01:19:36,120
So I had to give up playing viola in the orchestra and maybe reduce the social activity.
1102
01:19:36,120 --> 01:19:43,480
But yeah, I spent a lot of time on my computer while traveling, just working for the thesis.
1103
01:19:43,480 --> 01:19:47,760
I started beginning of January.
1104
01:19:47,760 --> 01:19:58,240
And I can recall working a lot while being on some tour somewhere in the competitions.
1105
01:19:58,240 --> 01:20:04,560
And I had the thesis handing on the day of the Chamonix qualifications.
1106
01:20:04,560 --> 01:20:07,900
So it was tiring.
1107
01:20:07,900 --> 01:20:15,680
I found it very hard to keep the concentration up with the volume of climbing.
1108
01:20:15,680 --> 01:20:20,440
It's like when I'm done with the training, I'm so low on energy that I can't focus.
1109
01:20:20,440 --> 01:20:27,080
So this was a little bit tricky to handle, but I managed to find some kind of a rhythm
1110
01:20:27,080 --> 01:20:28,920
how and when to do it.
1111
01:20:28,920 --> 01:20:35,620
I was more productive if I worked in the morning and then went to training and vice versa.
1112
01:20:35,620 --> 01:20:40,160
Or I had to wait till this initial tiredness fades away and then in the evening I could
1113
01:20:40,160 --> 01:20:46,120
be more productive.
1114
01:20:46,120 --> 01:20:50,360
But it went well and I finished.
1115
01:20:50,360 --> 01:20:54,720
I graduated, so now I'm not a student anymore.
1116
01:20:54,720 --> 01:20:55,720
Thanks.
1117
01:20:55,720 --> 01:20:58,940
For a few months now.
1118
01:20:58,940 --> 01:21:04,680
And I still feel like I don't have time to do everything that I want to do.
1119
01:21:04,680 --> 01:21:05,680
It's always like that.
1120
01:21:05,680 --> 01:21:10,160
It doesn't matter how many things I have to do, I never have enough time.
1121
01:21:10,160 --> 01:21:14,640
Maybe you should just do everything anyway and it'll still just feel like you don't have
1122
01:21:14,640 --> 01:21:16,600
enough time, but you're doing more.
1123
01:21:16,600 --> 01:21:20,880
Yeah, I think that's more of a solution.
1124
01:21:20,880 --> 01:21:25,280
But not doing more in the sense doing more stressful things, doing more things that I
1125
01:21:25,280 --> 01:21:26,280
like.
1126
01:21:26,280 --> 01:21:32,260
So I like programming, I like researching, I like writing.
1127
01:21:32,260 --> 01:21:40,280
And now when I don't do that, I probably do more other activities that take my time, but
1128
01:21:40,280 --> 01:21:42,000
I don't have the benefit of it.
1129
01:21:42,000 --> 01:21:46,360
I don't know, binge watching probably.
1130
01:21:46,360 --> 01:21:52,440
And maybe also trying to pack in to meet all the people in one day if I can and then I
1131
01:21:52,440 --> 01:21:57,520
stress out when I get late to every consecutive meeting.
1132
01:21:57,520 --> 01:22:04,960
Or now I just pop up a million things in my schedule and then I stress out to finish them
1133
01:22:04,960 --> 01:22:08,600
all on time and not to be able to catch this and that and that.
1134
01:22:08,600 --> 01:22:11,860
And I somehow managed to schedule a lot of traveling as well.
1135
01:22:11,860 --> 01:22:16,320
So everything that I couldn't do during the season, now I'm visiting those places and
1136
01:22:16,320 --> 01:22:18,200
people.
1137
01:22:18,200 --> 01:22:26,080
So yeah, I feel like I spent half a month maybe in my flat and the other half somewhere
1138
01:22:26,080 --> 01:22:29,960
else.
1139
01:22:29,960 --> 01:22:32,640
A lot of traveling at the moment.
1140
01:22:32,640 --> 01:22:35,080
What are you binge watching?
1141
01:22:35,080 --> 01:22:41,940
Oh, now I'm sitting movies in Pirates of the Caribbean.
1142
01:22:41,940 --> 01:22:44,600
So I have two more.
1143
01:22:44,600 --> 01:22:48,400
And then Big Bang Theory also.
1144
01:22:48,400 --> 01:22:49,880
Interesting choices.
1145
01:22:49,880 --> 01:22:50,960
Yes.
1146
01:22:50,960 --> 01:23:01,240
I always thought Big Bang Theory was annoying, but now that I've rewatched it, I haven't
1147
01:23:01,240 --> 01:23:05,520
watched everything before, but now I just started from a season and I just go on in
1148
01:23:05,520 --> 01:23:06,520
the eternity.
1149
01:23:06,520 --> 01:23:09,880
Now I find it pretty funny.
1150
01:23:09,880 --> 01:23:15,000
Yeah, people started memeing on that show a lot because they would take out the laugh
1151
01:23:15,000 --> 01:23:19,320
track and then it would be not funny at all.
1152
01:23:19,320 --> 01:23:23,480
But yeah, it'll ruin it for you, so don't watch those.
1153
01:23:23,480 --> 01:23:24,480
I don't know.
1154
01:23:24,480 --> 01:23:29,440
I'll try it because I still think some things are pretty funny.
1155
01:23:29,440 --> 01:23:30,440
But it's a good thing.
1156
01:23:30,440 --> 01:23:33,960
I've never noticed that, how it would be without the laughing, without the audience.
1157
01:23:33,960 --> 01:23:35,200
It might ruin it.
1158
01:23:35,200 --> 01:23:38,760
So maybe you don't do it.
1159
01:23:38,760 --> 01:23:41,920
And then you have to watch the spin-off show as well.
1160
01:23:41,920 --> 01:23:42,920
Young Sheldon?
1161
01:23:42,920 --> 01:23:44,920
Wait, I forget what it's called.
1162
01:23:44,920 --> 01:23:45,920
There's a spin-off show.
1163
01:23:45,920 --> 01:23:48,760
Oh, you watched it.
1164
01:23:48,760 --> 01:23:54,920
So I watched The Big Bang Theory a while ago and it was still on TV airing back in the
1165
01:23:54,920 --> 01:23:57,520
day, but only when I'd catch it.
1166
01:23:57,520 --> 01:24:06,560
And I think also why I didn't find it so funny is because I watched it with Serbian subtitles
1167
01:24:06,560 --> 01:24:07,920
back in the day.
1168
01:24:07,920 --> 01:24:13,680
So maybe the translations were odd and then I usually focus more on the text than on what
1169
01:24:13,680 --> 01:24:14,680
I hear.
1170
01:24:14,680 --> 01:24:24,440
I'm more like visual person, like my audio understanding is behind my visual comprehension.
1171
01:24:24,440 --> 01:24:28,440
So maybe this is why it wasn't so funny.
1172
01:24:28,440 --> 01:24:33,200
And then I started watching Young Sheldon maybe the beginning of this year or like maybe
1173
01:24:33,200 --> 01:24:35,720
during summer.
1174
01:24:35,720 --> 01:24:36,980
And then I watched the whole of it.
1175
01:24:36,980 --> 01:24:42,840
And how it started, I saw some shorts, like some inserts on YouTube, which I found super
1176
01:24:42,840 --> 01:24:45,080
funny and I thought, maybe this show is really cool.
1177
01:24:45,080 --> 01:24:48,480
And then I watched the whole Young Sheldon and then I was like, oh, well, now I have
1178
01:24:48,480 --> 01:24:53,240
to watch The Big Bang Theory.
1179
01:24:53,240 --> 01:24:54,240
Should I watch it?
1180
01:24:54,240 --> 01:24:55,240
Is it good?
1181
01:24:55,240 --> 01:24:56,240
Which one?
1182
01:24:56,240 --> 01:24:57,240
Young Sheldon?
1183
01:24:57,240 --> 01:24:58,240
Young Sheldon.
1184
01:24:58,240 --> 01:24:59,240
I've never seen that.
1185
01:24:59,240 --> 01:25:00,240
Yeah.
1186
01:25:00,240 --> 01:25:04,520
I find the rest of the family funnier than the actual Sheldon.
1187
01:25:04,520 --> 01:25:13,160
So if you want like really funny Texas speaking people, then it's good.
1188
01:25:13,160 --> 01:25:14,640
It's pretty funny.
1189
01:25:14,640 --> 01:25:15,640
Okay.
1190
01:25:15,640 --> 01:25:17,120
I'll give it a watch.
1191
01:25:17,120 --> 01:25:19,000
Thanks for the recommendation.
1192
01:25:19,000 --> 01:25:20,000
Yeah.
1193
01:25:20,000 --> 01:25:26,520
It's like so Texas-y and so like traditionally from that state.
1194
01:25:26,520 --> 01:25:27,520
Yeah.
1195
01:25:27,520 --> 01:25:32,240
Also the behavior, like the vibes in the sound.
1196
01:25:32,240 --> 01:25:33,240
Okay.
1197
01:25:33,240 --> 01:25:34,240
I'll see.
1198
01:25:34,240 --> 01:25:41,840
And you also, I didn't know that you were still playing viola up until like before this
1199
01:25:41,840 --> 01:25:43,680
season.
1200
01:25:43,680 --> 01:25:46,840
Is that something you're going to pick back up?
1201
01:25:46,840 --> 01:25:50,520
It's a thing that I put down and pick back up every now and then.
1202
01:25:50,520 --> 01:25:57,080
Like in seasons I did six years of musical school.
1203
01:25:57,080 --> 01:26:04,080
I started a little bit late also, so I had to like run through the like so-called elementary
1204
01:26:04,080 --> 01:26:09,200
music school that last six years, but I did it in four.
1205
01:26:09,200 --> 01:26:15,360
Like I had to do two years in one year twice, stuff like that.
1206
01:26:15,360 --> 01:26:16,960
And then I enrolled in the high school.
1207
01:26:16,960 --> 01:26:24,240
I did years one and two, but then when I moved to Slovenia in my third year of high school,
1208
01:26:24,240 --> 01:26:30,720
stopped like the music education, but I continued playing in the school orchestra where I was.
1209
01:26:30,720 --> 01:26:35,920
So yeah, then when I enrolled in uni, this is where I stopped basically in the bachelor's
1210
01:26:35,920 --> 01:26:41,880
and then yeah, picked it up every now and then, replayed some old stuff.
1211
01:26:41,880 --> 01:26:46,760
Maybe if I found something new, I'd play that and then left it again and then picked it
1212
01:26:46,760 --> 01:26:47,760
up again.
1213
01:26:47,760 --> 01:26:50,800
So yeah, I think I'll pick it up again soon.
1214
01:26:50,800 --> 01:26:54,320
I have some stock on the place.
1215
01:26:54,320 --> 01:27:02,240
I haven't touched my violin since I started climbing really, but I imagine the strings
1216
01:27:02,240 --> 01:27:04,480
might kind of hurt on my fingertips.
1217
01:27:04,480 --> 01:27:05,480
Depends.
1218
01:27:05,480 --> 01:27:15,640
Depends how you play because for me, it's more like above the fingertip ones.
1219
01:27:15,640 --> 01:27:17,160
So to say.
1220
01:27:17,160 --> 01:27:23,520
So depends the sliding, like switching positions can sometimes be painful.
1221
01:27:23,520 --> 01:27:29,360
And the second finger mostly because I kind of landed flat, but the first two are fine.
1222
01:27:29,360 --> 01:27:35,040
It's usually the third finger that is sometimes a little bit more difficult, but I mostly
1223
01:27:35,040 --> 01:27:43,320
find it painful if you have like capsule injuries, but like any kind of actual finger injury.
1224
01:27:43,320 --> 01:27:45,840
Some positions are really painful.
1225
01:27:45,840 --> 01:27:48,600
I had it once or twice.
1226
01:27:48,600 --> 01:27:54,840
Yeah, especially going to the last string, like turning over is hard sometimes.
1227
01:27:54,840 --> 01:27:55,840
Oh, interesting.
1228
01:27:55,840 --> 01:27:58,840
Yeah, but usually it works.
1229
01:27:58,840 --> 01:28:00,280
I'm going to try it.
1230
01:28:00,280 --> 01:28:01,280
You should.
1231
01:28:01,280 --> 01:28:02,280
Get back to it.
1232
01:28:02,280 --> 01:28:03,280
Of course.
1233
01:28:03,280 --> 01:28:05,640
I'm going to try it today, right after this.
1234
01:28:05,640 --> 01:28:06,640
Nice.
1235
01:28:06,640 --> 01:28:07,640
Thank you.
1236
01:28:07,640 --> 01:28:08,640
We'll see how that goes.
1237
01:28:08,640 --> 01:28:09,640
And we should.
1238
01:28:09,640 --> 01:28:10,640
Interesting.
1239
01:28:10,640 --> 01:28:11,640
Thanks.
1240
01:28:11,640 --> 01:28:12,640
I've been inspired.
1241
01:28:12,640 --> 01:28:15,640
I'm glad to hear.
1242
01:28:15,640 --> 01:28:16,640
Okay.
1243
01:28:16,640 --> 01:28:18,800
Oh my gosh, we're running out of time.
1244
01:28:18,800 --> 01:28:24,480
I just want to ask really quick about OQS preparation and then we'll do a few discord
1245
01:28:24,480 --> 01:28:27,360
questions and then I'll let you go.
1246
01:28:27,360 --> 01:28:33,320
So yeah, OQS, can you just briefly explain how OQS is going to work for people who aren't
1247
01:28:33,320 --> 01:28:34,320
as familiar?
1248
01:28:34,320 --> 01:28:37,320
It's a very confusing process, honestly.
1249
01:28:37,320 --> 01:28:41,200
Like the hollow Olympic qualifications are very confusing.
1250
01:28:41,200 --> 01:28:44,400
So OQS consists of two competitions.
1251
01:28:44,400 --> 01:28:51,160
One is in Shanghai in May and the other one is in Budapest in June.
1252
01:28:51,160 --> 01:28:58,880
So it will be run just as all the Olympic continental qualifiers, basically the same
1253
01:28:58,880 --> 01:29:00,080
system.
1254
01:29:00,080 --> 01:29:06,080
So you have qualifications, semi-finals and finals.
1255
01:29:06,080 --> 01:29:08,240
And then it's in both disciplines combined.
1256
01:29:08,240 --> 01:29:12,280
So qualifications first, qualification boulder, then qualification lead.
1257
01:29:12,280 --> 01:29:17,560
Then they sum up the points, take the 20 people, my people go to semi-finals.
1258
01:29:17,560 --> 01:29:24,600
And then to say boulder semi-finals, lead semi-finals, sum up the points, take the eight
1259
01:29:24,600 --> 01:29:28,760
people and then it's finals.
1260
01:29:28,760 --> 01:29:35,560
So at the end of each event, you have your ranking one, two, 48.
1261
01:29:35,560 --> 01:29:40,680
There will be 48 people there.
1262
01:29:40,680 --> 01:29:44,240
Each of these places get a certain number of points.
1263
01:29:44,240 --> 01:29:49,800
It's like ranking points, nothing to do with climbing points.
1264
01:29:49,800 --> 01:29:55,180
So just to denote the certain place that you hold after a competition, that's all.
1265
01:29:55,180 --> 01:30:02,320
So the same is done in Budapest and then they will sum up these points.
1266
01:30:02,320 --> 01:30:04,400
The ranking points will be summed up.
1267
01:30:04,400 --> 01:30:08,400
It's basically like a general ranking in the end.
1268
01:30:08,400 --> 01:30:12,600
And the top 10 in the general ranking go to the Olympic Games.
1269
01:30:12,600 --> 01:30:22,640
But top 10, as long as the conditions are fulfilled, maximum two spots per country.
1270
01:30:22,640 --> 01:30:31,300
And then also if one French person or female French is in top 10, since they already have
1271
01:30:31,300 --> 01:30:37,280
one spot and they have one host spot, they don't count in this one.
1272
01:30:37,280 --> 01:30:40,840
So the 11th person also goes instead of this.
1273
01:30:40,840 --> 01:30:48,140
So yeah, the French already has a spot, but they're allowed to send their athletes because
1274
01:30:48,140 --> 01:30:54,880
host spot is the last one that is like filled up or given to a person.
1275
01:30:54,880 --> 01:31:03,280
Therefore they have the right to go to all QS and well, maybe use that event as a way
1276
01:31:03,280 --> 01:31:05,840
to choose who the person will be for the host spot.
1277
01:31:05,840 --> 01:31:08,000
I don't know.
1278
01:31:08,000 --> 01:31:12,920
So they are allowed to send their athletes, but if they're in top 10, then they don't
1279
01:31:12,920 --> 01:31:17,200
count in this whole scope.
1280
01:31:17,200 --> 01:31:20,800
So yeah, you have two per country, so that means there's one more Japanese.
1281
01:31:20,800 --> 01:31:25,320
So if there are three Japanese in top 10, only the first one counts, just two fall out
1282
01:31:25,320 --> 01:31:28,240
and then you pick up people and so on.
1283
01:31:28,240 --> 01:31:33,880
And also there's some trick with the universality, like this Olympic solidarity spot.
1284
01:31:33,880 --> 01:31:40,480
I think Vanna needs to be top 35 for what I've heard on that comp to be able to go to
1285
01:31:40,480 --> 01:31:41,480
the Olympics.
1286
01:31:41,480 --> 01:31:44,240
If she doesn't make it, then also one more spot goes from no QS.
1287
01:31:44,240 --> 01:31:48,080
I think this is also where I'm not 100% sure.
1288
01:31:48,080 --> 01:31:51,680
But yeah, it's top 10, but with eliminates.
1289
01:31:51,680 --> 01:31:52,800
Gotcha.
1290
01:31:52,800 --> 01:31:54,480
Yeah.
1291
01:31:54,480 --> 01:32:01,720
And so how is your mental game going into OQS?
1292
01:32:01,720 --> 01:32:06,000
It's pretty well now because it's still the beginning of the training.
1293
01:32:06,000 --> 01:32:09,680
It's still like basic training, basic buildup.
1294
01:32:09,680 --> 01:32:15,760
Yeah, base endurance, base power.
1295
01:32:15,760 --> 01:32:21,800
There's not much complex stuff going on yet.
1296
01:32:21,800 --> 01:32:29,400
Not that many more comp specific things to be trained right now.
1297
01:32:29,400 --> 01:32:31,760
It's all physical basis.
1298
01:32:31,760 --> 01:32:38,360
So yeah, I mean, mentally is just going through it and giving your all.
1299
01:32:38,360 --> 01:32:44,220
It's just about finding those physical limits and then pushing through.
1300
01:32:44,220 --> 01:32:48,040
This is that, that's like the part of the preparation now.
1301
01:32:48,040 --> 01:32:54,640
And then in the following months, it's going to change and develop into more technical,
1302
01:32:54,640 --> 01:32:58,040
more specific automatic things.
1303
01:32:58,040 --> 01:33:01,560
Is there anything special to prepare?
1304
01:33:01,560 --> 01:33:09,440
The usual, it's a lot of fitness, a lot of spray wall climbing, like a lot of repetitions,
1305
01:33:09,440 --> 01:33:13,080
circuit training, stuff like that.
1306
01:33:13,080 --> 01:33:20,760
And also like the OQS competitions are happening quite close to the actual date of the Olympics.
1307
01:33:20,760 --> 01:33:22,480
So does that affect anything?
1308
01:33:22,480 --> 01:33:28,280
Like does it make it more stressful because then you have to like peak at different times?
1309
01:33:28,280 --> 01:33:35,440
Yeah, it is a bit tricky because you technically have to peak twice.
1310
01:33:35,440 --> 01:33:39,440
But I feel like qualifying is pretty important.
1311
01:33:39,440 --> 01:33:45,760
So I'd rather peak soon as well.
1312
01:33:45,760 --> 01:33:48,720
I'd rather go to the Olympics and rather than not go.
1313
01:33:48,720 --> 01:33:53,120
So I feel like there is no playing with this, with the OQS.
1314
01:33:53,120 --> 01:33:56,920
It's really going to be tough.
1315
01:33:56,920 --> 01:34:04,880
So it has to be top, top form for both of those comps to try to hold it, hold onto it.
1316
01:34:04,880 --> 01:34:13,240
And of course, World Cups kind of lost their sense now in this year.
1317
01:34:13,240 --> 01:34:20,360
But yeah, I think it's also, OQS is an amazing preparation for the Olympics.
1318
01:34:20,360 --> 01:34:31,600
So it still gives you a month and a half to recover and prepare, which is quite okay.
1319
01:34:31,600 --> 01:34:35,960
But I think it should have been organized a little bit earlier because our idea was
1320
01:34:35,960 --> 01:34:44,600
when we talked about it in the athletes commission was to have it like March, April, May latest,
1321
01:34:44,600 --> 01:34:47,480
but then it all shifted and everything got postponed.
1322
01:34:47,480 --> 01:34:49,400
So that's main juice.
1323
01:34:49,400 --> 01:34:53,720
That's a little bit unfortunate, but it is what it is and gives us still enough time
1324
01:34:53,720 --> 01:34:55,040
to prepare.
1325
01:34:55,040 --> 01:34:59,400
Are you planning on taking part in any of the World Cups before that?
1326
01:34:59,400 --> 01:35:01,440
I don't even know if they put out the schedule actually.
1327
01:35:01,440 --> 01:35:03,360
Yeah, there is a schedule.
1328
01:35:03,360 --> 01:35:08,160
So I'll go to Shanghai for the World Cup in the beginning of April and also two weeks
1329
01:35:08,160 --> 01:35:13,360
later is like a European Cup in Plagenfurt in Austria.
1330
01:35:13,360 --> 01:35:16,200
So these are the two comps I'll do before.
1331
01:35:16,200 --> 01:35:17,720
Then it's Shanghai OQS.
1332
01:35:17,720 --> 01:35:23,560
So we go to Shanghai, come back and then go to Shanghai again.
1333
01:35:23,560 --> 01:35:27,280
And between the two, I will not be doing any competitions.
1334
01:35:27,280 --> 01:35:28,280
Makes sense.
1335
01:35:28,280 --> 01:35:35,120
Well, we are looking forward to seeing you compete in the World Cups and really praying
1336
01:35:35,120 --> 01:35:36,120
for you for OQS.
1337
01:35:36,120 --> 01:35:37,120
Thanks.
1338
01:35:37,120 --> 01:35:40,920
We want to see it happen.
1339
01:35:40,920 --> 01:35:41,920
Good luck to you.
1340
01:35:41,920 --> 01:35:42,920
Yeah, me too.
1341
01:35:42,920 --> 01:35:43,920
Thanks.
1342
01:35:43,920 --> 01:35:44,920
Thanks a lot.
1343
01:35:44,920 --> 01:35:45,920
Yeah.
1344
01:35:45,920 --> 01:35:51,480
And so, okay, a few discord questions from the community.
1345
01:35:51,480 --> 01:35:56,000
So first one, you're very expressive with your emotions on stage.
1346
01:35:56,000 --> 01:36:00,120
Do you ever get negative responses to that and does it negatively impact you?
1347
01:36:00,120 --> 01:36:07,920
Well, I think it affects me negatively when I have negative emotional responses.
1348
01:36:07,920 --> 01:36:11,680
But it's who I am and it's how I've always been.
1349
01:36:11,680 --> 01:36:18,400
So this was one of the bigger like long-term projects of mine to try to kind of calm it
1350
01:36:18,400 --> 01:36:25,320
down a bit, not in the sense of restricting myself of emotional expressiveness, but rather
1351
01:36:25,320 --> 01:36:30,680
to control the negative side if it comes.
1352
01:36:30,680 --> 01:36:38,400
There were times I think three years ago when I was really getting pretty angry at myself
1353
01:36:38,400 --> 01:36:43,640
like for making mistakes and stuff, but it's always like a few layers down.
1354
01:36:43,640 --> 01:36:47,800
It's like accepting of yourself and your mistakes and starting over.
1355
01:36:47,800 --> 01:36:53,160
And a lot of the things I never thought I'd have to deal with, but as you grow up, sometimes
1356
01:36:53,160 --> 01:37:04,520
you forget how you were when you were younger and you didn't have such like mental responses.
1357
01:37:04,520 --> 01:37:12,840
So then you actually put work in and yeah, change, rewire yourself and your way of thinking.
1358
01:37:12,840 --> 01:37:16,200
Because as you grow up, you change and your brain changes and your thoughts as well.
1359
01:37:16,200 --> 01:37:21,440
So there was also good progress on that this year.
1360
01:37:21,440 --> 01:37:23,920
But I don't know if I get negative comments.
1361
01:37:23,920 --> 01:37:32,240
Mostly I think friends and family would point out to me sometimes, but mostly people like
1362
01:37:32,240 --> 01:37:33,840
that I'm that expressive.
1363
01:37:33,840 --> 01:37:36,480
I think it's good.
1364
01:37:36,480 --> 01:37:39,960
Photographers like it a lot because they don't like it when it's completely not expressive.
1365
01:37:39,960 --> 01:37:40,960
They hate it.
1366
01:37:40,960 --> 01:37:41,960
They have nothing to shoot then.
1367
01:37:41,960 --> 01:37:44,400
I've heard these complaints so much.
1368
01:37:44,400 --> 01:37:47,240
They're like, oh, you're the easiest to shoot.
1369
01:37:47,240 --> 01:37:49,440
There's always going to, something's going to come up.
1370
01:37:49,440 --> 01:37:53,080
No, yeah, it definitely makes it more interesting.
1371
01:37:53,080 --> 01:37:54,080
Yeah.
1372
01:37:54,080 --> 01:37:55,080
Okay.
1373
01:37:55,080 --> 01:38:01,880
Any noticeable differences in how each national team trains since you've kind of been around?
1374
01:38:01,880 --> 01:38:03,400
Yeah, it does.
1375
01:38:03,400 --> 01:38:08,200
Actually you can see the patterns of what the base training consists of and how they
1376
01:38:08,200 --> 01:38:09,960
do their plannings.
1377
01:38:09,960 --> 01:38:18,040
So far I had to experience with a combination of what the Swiss used to do, the Austrians
1378
01:38:18,040 --> 01:38:20,960
used to do, the Slovenians and so on.
1379
01:38:20,960 --> 01:38:31,520
It all has a similar idea, but slightly different approaches in number of moves, number of repetitions,
1380
01:38:31,520 --> 01:38:35,400
how many times per week what when you do which exercises.
1381
01:38:35,400 --> 01:38:41,280
Mostly they differ in what particular exercise for a certain thing.
1382
01:38:41,280 --> 01:38:44,160
This is where I found the most variation.
1383
01:38:44,160 --> 01:38:52,040
But it's usually just in the base training like this what happens in winter.
1384
01:38:52,040 --> 01:38:55,880
But it follows a similar way of thinking.
1385
01:38:55,880 --> 01:39:02,360
Is it like, are you going to do, I don't know, four by four or three by six or are you going
1386
01:39:02,360 --> 01:39:04,000
to do eight moves or 10 moves?
1387
01:39:04,000 --> 01:39:06,840
Are you going to do it with weight, no weight and so on?
1388
01:39:06,840 --> 01:39:08,440
There's stuff like that.
1389
01:39:08,440 --> 01:39:13,320
Do you have a favorite national team training plan?
1390
01:39:13,320 --> 01:39:14,320
No.
1391
01:39:14,320 --> 01:39:21,280
The perfect one would be a combo of all of those, just picking bits and pieces from every
1392
01:39:21,280 --> 01:39:22,280
one.
1393
01:39:22,280 --> 01:39:23,280
Okay.
1394
01:39:23,280 --> 01:39:26,840
One person said, I lived in Munich for quite some time.
1395
01:39:26,840 --> 01:39:32,480
What do you like about the city or about Germany in general?
1396
01:39:32,480 --> 01:39:37,800
I like Munich because it's so nice and orderly.
1397
01:39:37,800 --> 01:39:45,160
There are people that don't like this at all about Munich, but for me, it all looks kind
1398
01:39:45,160 --> 01:39:48,120
of peaceful, so to say.
1399
01:39:48,120 --> 01:39:51,520
Not too chaotic.
1400
01:39:51,520 --> 01:39:56,720
It has just some really nice landscapes and nice spots in the city, like a lot of nice
1401
01:39:56,720 --> 01:40:06,200
parks as well, pretty buildings, nice architecture.
1402
01:40:06,200 --> 01:40:09,640
Each part of the city has kinds of different vibe.
1403
01:40:09,640 --> 01:40:16,040
I fell in love with Munich when I started coming in for the World Cups basically.
1404
01:40:16,040 --> 01:40:20,960
It was always, I want to live here one day.
1405
01:40:20,960 --> 01:40:24,480
I also said about Stockholm, but I still haven't lived there.
1406
01:40:24,480 --> 01:40:27,400
I think the weather there is a bit too much for me.
1407
01:40:27,400 --> 01:40:33,440
Here, it's still a lot of nice sunny days, but also a lot of rainy days, which I didn't
1408
01:40:33,440 --> 01:40:36,480
know was a thing in Munich.
1409
01:40:36,480 --> 01:40:40,960
That was a little bit disappointing, but okay.
1410
01:40:40,960 --> 01:40:44,320
There's a lot of rainy days here too.
1411
01:40:44,320 --> 01:40:49,960
I mean, everything in that European area can get a bit gloomy.
1412
01:40:49,960 --> 01:40:50,960
Yeah, it depends.
1413
01:40:50,960 --> 01:40:56,880
I think everything south of Austria gets a little bit more sun.
1414
01:40:56,880 --> 01:40:57,880
Yeah.
1415
01:40:57,880 --> 01:41:01,080
I don't know.
1416
01:41:01,080 --> 01:41:05,840
But I'd miss some mountains around here.
1417
01:41:05,840 --> 01:41:09,560
It's pretty flat around Munich.
1418
01:41:09,560 --> 01:41:12,600
So I have to drive for like an hour or two to get to the first mountains.
1419
01:41:12,600 --> 01:41:18,080
Nearly when I drive to Innsbruck, which is two hours away, that's where I get the most
1420
01:41:18,080 --> 01:41:22,560
beautiful mountain views.
1421
01:41:22,560 --> 01:41:26,320
But yeah, Germany is an interesting country.
1422
01:41:26,320 --> 01:41:29,240
Sometimes it's too orderly, unnecessarily orderly.
1423
01:41:29,240 --> 01:41:32,520
Sometimes the order depends on which view.
1424
01:41:32,520 --> 01:41:42,200
But I also have a lot of international friends here, which makes it more colorful, so to
1425
01:41:42,200 --> 01:41:48,840
say, or doesn't make it feel too German.
1426
01:41:48,840 --> 01:41:55,120
Most of my friends are climbers, but also from different countries.
1427
01:41:55,120 --> 01:42:02,080
We all live here for a while and found our ways how to fit into community here, people
1428
01:42:02,080 --> 01:42:03,600
in the lifestyle here.
1429
01:42:03,600 --> 01:42:09,360
So yeah, I feel like I've found a nice way of living here.
1430
01:42:09,360 --> 01:42:16,080
As an American saying that it's a two hour drive to get to Innsbruck is completely insane.
1431
01:42:16,080 --> 01:42:19,520
That's not long at all.
1432
01:42:19,520 --> 01:42:20,520
Yeah.
1433
01:42:20,520 --> 01:42:24,320
For me, a day trip is two, two and a half hours maximum.
1434
01:42:24,320 --> 01:42:29,680
Two and a half is still, I'll think about it if I'll do a day trip.
1435
01:42:29,680 --> 01:42:36,520
So yeah, to Augsburg I have one hour, to Nürnberg I have almost two hours, Innsbruck two hours.
1436
01:42:36,520 --> 01:42:37,520
Geez.
1437
01:42:37,520 --> 01:42:39,240
Yeah, that's different.
1438
01:42:39,240 --> 01:42:45,520
Switzerland, like Ticino is like four and a half or five hours max.
1439
01:42:45,520 --> 01:42:47,760
Wow, yeah.
1440
01:42:47,760 --> 01:42:50,640
And still don't go there enough.
1441
01:42:50,640 --> 01:42:59,120
I did a nine hour drive two days ago to get back from Vegas to San Diego.
1442
01:42:59,120 --> 01:43:02,440
So it shouldn't usually take that long.
1443
01:43:02,440 --> 01:43:07,800
There was just a lot of traffic, but I'm like, I'm broken physically and mentally from that.
1444
01:43:07,800 --> 01:43:09,680
I don't drive to Serbia.
1445
01:43:09,680 --> 01:43:13,080
I can't permit to an 11, 12 hour drive.
1446
01:43:13,080 --> 01:43:15,000
I cannot do it.
1447
01:43:15,000 --> 01:43:17,120
It's a lot.
1448
01:43:17,120 --> 01:43:19,280
It's awful.
1449
01:43:19,280 --> 01:43:22,200
So yeah, it's under.
1450
01:43:22,200 --> 01:43:23,200
Yeah.
1451
01:43:23,200 --> 01:43:24,200
Okay.
1452
01:43:24,200 --> 01:43:28,120
This was a comment that someone really needed you to know.
1453
01:43:28,120 --> 01:43:33,880
They said in the 2022 season, you were co-hosting for a lead finals.
1454
01:43:33,880 --> 01:43:37,800
Yonia ended up topping the route before she clipped.
1455
01:43:37,800 --> 01:43:43,360
She waved and you asked her why she waved when you were interviewing her.
1456
01:43:43,360 --> 01:43:45,760
And this person really liked that.
1457
01:43:45,760 --> 01:43:52,720
Oh, okay, because as a friend seeing her do that, I was like, what is wrong with you?
1458
01:43:52,720 --> 01:43:56,200
Clip first, wave second.
1459
01:43:56,200 --> 01:44:02,200
The funny thing is that sometimes I just, Yonia does stupid things sometimes and not
1460
01:44:02,200 --> 01:44:06,160
really stupid, but rather clumsy things.
1461
01:44:06,160 --> 01:44:07,400
She used to be really clumsy.
1462
01:44:07,400 --> 01:44:08,400
Oh really?
1463
01:44:08,400 --> 01:44:09,400
A bit younger.
1464
01:44:09,400 --> 01:44:10,400
Yeah.
1465
01:44:10,400 --> 01:44:14,800
When she falls for boulders, she would really often land on her face.
1466
01:44:14,800 --> 01:44:19,880
I don't know how, but yeah, you've probably seen it in comps.
1467
01:44:19,880 --> 01:44:24,200
And I think she told me recently that she started hearing me in her mind when she's
1468
01:44:24,200 --> 01:44:27,080
about to do something stupid.
1469
01:44:27,080 --> 01:44:31,400
She hears my voice telling her, come on, just do this thing.
1470
01:44:31,400 --> 01:44:35,960
I think it was a bend in like semi-finals and there was like a tricky slab.
1471
01:44:35,960 --> 01:44:40,320
And I watched her and she was hesitating so much on the last move.
1472
01:44:40,320 --> 01:44:43,280
She stood there for, I don't know, maybe 20 seconds.
1473
01:44:43,280 --> 01:44:45,920
I don't know, or it felt like eternity to me.
1474
01:44:45,920 --> 01:44:49,000
And I just held my head and I was like, what are you doing?
1475
01:44:49,000 --> 01:44:50,000
Just stand up.
1476
01:44:50,000 --> 01:44:52,040
And she was like trying to go and stop and go.
1477
01:44:52,040 --> 01:44:54,800
And I was holding my head and I wasn't even close to her.
1478
01:44:54,800 --> 01:45:00,440
And after a while I heard your voice in my head telling me, oh, come on, Yonia, just
1479
01:45:00,440 --> 01:45:01,440
stand up.
1480
01:45:01,440 --> 01:45:06,760
I was like, well, I'm proud I'm in your head.
1481
01:45:06,760 --> 01:45:08,240
Such decisive moments.
1482
01:45:08,240 --> 01:45:11,840
Yeah, that means a lot.
1483
01:45:11,840 --> 01:45:15,000
Okay, last question.
1484
01:45:15,000 --> 01:45:19,160
Are there any outdoor boulders and projects that you're currently interested in or working
1485
01:45:19,160 --> 01:45:20,160
on?
1486
01:45:20,160 --> 01:45:26,160
Yes, there is just one that I'm very interested in.
1487
01:45:26,160 --> 01:45:34,160
The others I've kind of lost myself in finding proper projects, so to say, because I also
1488
01:45:34,160 --> 01:45:37,320
haven't spent much time outdoors either.
1489
01:45:37,320 --> 01:45:42,220
And I found only one that really attracts me, but it's also really, really hard.
1490
01:45:42,220 --> 01:45:45,120
So it's a very long, long-term project.
1491
01:45:45,120 --> 01:45:49,920
So it's the Big Island, the 18th Fund.
1492
01:45:49,920 --> 01:45:51,840
Every time I'm in the Fund, I go and play around with it.
1493
01:45:51,840 --> 01:45:53,720
I find it really fun to play around with.
1494
01:45:53,720 --> 01:46:01,560
I'm doing the original beta OG Dave Graham.
1495
01:46:01,560 --> 01:46:03,360
I span it out.
1496
01:46:03,360 --> 01:46:08,960
I still miss one move, but the rest I've basically done and worked on.
1497
01:46:08,960 --> 01:46:11,840
It's just about connecting sequences.
1498
01:46:11,840 --> 01:46:16,240
I've done quite some good progress.
1499
01:46:16,240 --> 01:46:21,000
Now this autumn after Laval, I had one good session there.
1500
01:46:21,000 --> 01:46:30,720
But yeah, other than that, nothing that I've really tried that I've devoted myself to so
1501
01:46:30,720 --> 01:46:31,720
much.
1502
01:46:31,720 --> 01:46:37,800
There's a couple of things in Frankenjura, like the leader with father and son, soft
1503
01:46:37,800 --> 01:46:43,520
HC or like 8B plus HC, which is almost always wet.
1504
01:46:43,520 --> 01:46:52,040
And the hardest part is not to slip off the holds and to kind of over grip.
1505
01:46:52,040 --> 01:46:53,960
And it was really cold when I tried it last time.
1506
01:46:53,960 --> 01:46:58,120
I was too humid, so I didn't manage.
1507
01:46:58,120 --> 01:47:01,400
So yeah, I'd like to do that one.
1508
01:47:01,400 --> 01:47:06,200
Just because the fact that being wet is the crux is just a little bit annoying and I just
1509
01:47:06,200 --> 01:47:07,840
want to get it done.
1510
01:47:07,840 --> 01:47:13,600
It's a nice route, really nice route, but this is like a very unpredictable thing.
1511
01:47:13,600 --> 01:47:20,040
But yeah, these two currently and yeah, there'll be probably maybe more if I start like devoting
1512
01:47:20,040 --> 01:47:22,760
my time to actual projecting.
1513
01:47:22,760 --> 01:47:27,280
I guess you probably won't have a chance this season before OQS.
1514
01:47:27,280 --> 01:47:28,600
Probably not.
1515
01:47:28,600 --> 01:47:36,160
And I'm honestly also not interested in it.
1516
01:47:36,160 --> 01:47:41,520
I put so much focus on the OQS preparation that I feel like if I go outdoors, it's going
1517
01:47:41,520 --> 01:47:44,340
to feel wrong.
1518
01:47:44,340 --> 01:47:48,800
And so far I've always been the person who needs the balance of both.
1519
01:47:48,800 --> 01:47:55,640
I crave outdoor climbing in nature to be able to train properly afterwards.
1520
01:47:55,640 --> 01:48:01,120
But now, yeah, this is probably the first New Year's that I'm not doing any outdoor
1521
01:48:01,120 --> 01:48:02,120
climbing.
1522
01:48:02,120 --> 01:48:05,160
Like no, I plan no climbing trips.
1523
01:48:05,160 --> 01:48:10,840
Maybe I'll go somewhere for a weekend because Frankenheuer is close and maybe drop by Zillertal
1524
01:48:10,840 --> 01:48:11,840
or something.
1525
01:48:11,840 --> 01:48:16,480
But yeah, that's no trip.
1526
01:48:16,480 --> 01:48:17,480
Yeah.
1527
01:48:17,480 --> 01:48:20,040
I mean, yeah, that makes sense.
1528
01:48:20,040 --> 01:48:25,840
You've got to stay focused on LQS and we want to see you make it to the Olympics.
1529
01:48:25,840 --> 01:48:26,840
Exactly.
1530
01:48:26,840 --> 01:48:27,840
Yeah.
1531
01:48:27,840 --> 01:48:28,840
Okay.
1532
01:48:28,840 --> 01:48:30,780
Well, I think that's all the questions I had.
1533
01:48:30,780 --> 01:48:33,240
Thank you so much for joining me.
1534
01:48:33,240 --> 01:48:36,640
Is there anything you want to shout out or let people know where they can find you?
1535
01:48:36,640 --> 01:48:44,120
Yeah, if you can mostly find me on Instagram, I'm bad with replying, but I think I read
1536
01:48:44,120 --> 01:48:46,080
and open every message.
1537
01:48:46,080 --> 01:48:55,400
So I'm really grateful to everyone who texts and expresses their support in any way.
1538
01:48:55,400 --> 01:48:58,680
So yeah, that's the way to go.
1539
01:48:58,680 --> 01:49:02,760
Other social media platforms I'm not really on.
1540
01:49:02,760 --> 01:49:05,600
So yeah, Instagram is the one I think.
1541
01:49:05,600 --> 01:49:06,600
Okay.
1542
01:49:06,600 --> 01:49:07,960
And I'll leave the link down below.
1543
01:49:07,960 --> 01:49:08,960
All right.
1544
01:49:08,960 --> 01:49:09,960
Well, thank you so much.
1545
01:49:09,960 --> 01:49:11,560
It was amazing to talk to you.
1546
01:49:11,560 --> 01:49:13,000
Yeah, you too, Givi.
1547
01:49:13,000 --> 01:49:14,000
Thanks.
1548
01:49:14,000 --> 01:49:15,000
Those are good questions also.
1549
01:49:15,000 --> 01:49:16,000
Oh, thank you.
1550
01:49:16,000 --> 01:49:17,000
Yes, I try.
1551
01:49:17,000 --> 01:49:20,560
Thank you so much for making it to the end of the podcast.
1552
01:49:20,560 --> 01:49:23,160
Don't forget to like and subscribe if you enjoyed.
1553
01:49:23,160 --> 01:49:26,320
Otherwise you are a super fake climber.
1554
01:49:26,320 --> 01:49:30,960
If you're listening on a podcasting platform, I'd appreciate if you rate it five stars and
1555
01:49:30,960 --> 01:49:35,920
you can continue the discussion on the free competition climbing discord linked in the
1556
01:49:35,920 --> 01:49:36,920
description.
1557
01:49:36,920 --> 01:49:46,480
Thanks again for listening.
