CNN
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Few people know the world of competitive climbing better than Olympic gold medalist and eight-time world champion Janja Garnbret.
The Slovenian who rose to the top of the sport now wants to use his platform to raise awareness about the 'cultural' pitfalls in climbing that contribute to the widespread problem of eating disorders. There is.
The problem, she says, stems from the outdated ideology that lower weight means faster climbing. She says this kind of thinking creates an environment where young athletes skip meals or eat less, sometimes with disastrous results.
While she doesn't have an eating disorder problem herself, she is very aware of friends and fellow competitors who have broken down in pursuit of a lighter frame.
“This is a cultural thing in climbing, where it's hardwired into our brains to believe that the lighter you are, the stronger you are,” Garnbret told CNN Sports, adding that weight plays a role in the sport. It has recognized.
“Of course, you don't want to weigh too much, but you also don't want to weigh too little, so it has to be something in between.
“I strongly believe that climbing or any sport can be done in a healthy way.”
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Garnbret competes in the women's lead climbing final at the IFSC Climbing World Cup at Kletterzentrum Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria on June 18, 2023.
Garnbret says her climbing role models as a child were all “super skinny”, which only reinforced the idea that she needed to lose weight to compete at a world level.
“When you see someone winning, you want to be like them. You want results like them. You want to be like them,” she says.
“I was the same, but luckily I didn't fall into this trap. I had people around me who guided me on the right path.
“I had friends who fell into this trap, and I tried to help them as much as possible. I tried hard for, say, two years to help them get out of this situation, but nothing could be done. It was really hard to watch them destroy themselves mentally and physically.”
This experience led Garnbret to post a message about eating disorders on Instagram in July 2023.
“Why not raise the next generation of skeletons? With brittle hair and dull expressions, trying to show everyone they're okay, but really?” I wrote a long post.
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Garnbret went on to become one of the greatest female sport climbers of all time.
The post caused a huge response, sending ripples throughout the climbing community and garnering support from American rock climber Sasha DiGiulian and others.
In his message, Garnbret talked about relative energy deficiencies (REDs) in sports. This syndrome occurs when people of either gender overtrain or overeat for long periods of time in an attempt to improve their athletic performance, often without knowing the risks. They aren't able to replace the energy they put into training, racing, and everyday life.
Medical experts believe that if left untreated, RED can damage an athlete's metabolism, bone health, lead to further fractures, and affect the immune system, cardiovascular health, menstrual cycle, mental health, and even exercise. It says that it can also have a negative impact on performance.
The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) said it was aware of the issue and introduced “comprehensive regulations” related to RED earlier this year, as well as a new event policy for athletes participating this season. Ta.
IFSC said it is the first international federation to introduce such measures, including a review procedure that will be fully operational by Paris 2024.
“The new system underscores our commitment to athlete health,” IFSC President Marco Scolaris said in a statement earlier this year.
“This policy will not only help determine which athletes are most at risk, but will also raise awareness of the issue, provide support to those in need, and ensure the rights of each athlete are protected. It also helps to make sure that
Garnbret, 24, knows it will take time to change attitudes, but she hopes things will improve for a new generation to follow in her footsteps.
“I’m very honored and very happy to be in this position, because I always want to give something back to climbing, because climbing in general has given me so much. Because it's given to me,'' she said when asked how she deals with being a role model.
“I wanted to give back to the community and the younger generation, because I want to pass on all the knowledge that I have to young people. I want to help them achieve their goals, whatever it is. Masu.”
Marco Cost/Getty Images
The Slovenian became a role model for a new generation of young mountaineers.
Last year was a tough year for Garnbret, as he was forced to miss an extended period of time due to a broken toe.
The injury occurred just as the Olympic qualifying season was starting, but it was not immediately clear how long the Slovenian athlete would need to rest, with Gahan saying the forced absence had affected her mental health. Brett says.
“Last year's injury was the toughest time of my career,” she recalls. “It wasn’t easy at all. It was my first serious injury. […] At first, I had no idea how to deal with it.
“I had a lot of doubts and a lot of negative thoughts. I really didn't know if I was going to be able to get to the top again or if I was going to be able to climb normally again.”
Although he was unable to compete fully, Garnbret's injury did not completely prevent him from climbing climbing walls, and he eventually began some training in a boot cast, improving his upper body strength. The focus was on strengthening the
Garnbret now credits her experience rehabbing from her injury with making her a stronger climber.
“I had to wait until my toes got better, and then I was able to climb better than before,” she says.
“During this period I learned a lot about myself, I learned a lot about training and I learned a lot about how to deal with things when things don't go as planned. Gaining a deeper understanding of myself and training is completed.”
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Gambret celebrates on the podium after winning gold at Tokyo 2020.
With an Olympic medal in his pocket – Garnbret won a total of gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Games – the Slovenian is looking for more.
She still has that passion in her eyes and hopes she can do the same in Paris after already qualifying for the Olympics.
“When you win one Olympic medal, you always want another one. That's why I work really hard. I just want to be the best. I think this is what keeps me going. Always at the top. I want it to continue to be that way,” she said.
“I feel like I haven’t reached my full potential mentally, so I can still keep trying.”
