Oceania Mackenzie made a remarkable impression in the Women’s Boulder & Lead final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finishing 7th with a combined score of 104.8.
A significant improvement from her 19th-place finish in the combined format at the Tokyo 2020 Games, the result highlighted her incredible growth and determination over the past four years.
With this performance, Oceania solidified her status as Australia's most successful sport climber.
Paris 2024 introduced a new structure for Sport Climbing, splitting the disciplines into Speed and a combined Boulder & Lead event—a change that played to Oceania’s strengths. In her first Olympic final, the 22-year-old competed with poise and skill.
Oceania’s performance in the Boulder segment was particularly impressive, as she scored 59.7 points, placing her third heading into the Lead final. She flashed her first boulder with a perfect score of 25.0 points, followed by 24.8 on the second, 4.9 on the third, and 5.0 on the fourth.
The crowd was captivated as she skillfully solved each problem.
"I really enjoyed the boulders today. They were quite challenging,” Oceania reflected.
“Especially the lead route. I found it quite hard, but I definitely feel like I did my best.”
In the Lead portion of the event, Oceania earned a score of 45.1, a test of her endurance and mental fortitude as she pushed through difficult routes while dealing with the physical demands of the climb.
"What's hurting? Mostly my forearms," Oceania said.
"I had a lot of lactic acid buildup in them, so that's what I was mostly feeling. I was a little bit out of breath too."
The Paris 2024 Games held special significance for Oceania, who was grateful for the opportunity to compete in front of an enthusiastic crowd, a stark contrast to the quiet, COVID-restricted environment of Tokyo.
"It’s pretty amazing. I think it's special to have experienced Tokyo and Paris with them being quite different.
“ I'm extremely happy that I was here in Paris with this amazing crowd and environment.
"I really like it when the crowd gets behind me and supports me. It gives me a little edge."
As Oceania continues to develop her career, her performance at Paris 2024 stands as a milestone.
She not only showcased her climbing prowess but also demonstrated the mental and physical resilience required to compete at the highest level.
With her sights set on LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032, Australia has certainly not seen the last of the incredible climber.
Sarah Dyce
