The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in South Africa has opened its heart to youth sport climbers who will participate at the 2024 International Federation of Sports Climbing Youth World Championships later this month in China.

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa Wu Peng on Women’s Day handed a donation of R200 000 to the South African youth climbing team manager, Carmen Bouwer, during a ceremony at the embassy in Pretoria.

These young female and male athletes, ranging in age from 13 to 19, have demonstrated exceptional skill, determination, and passion for the sport and are eager to compete against the best youth climbers from around the world.

The team, selected through a rigorous national qualification process in March, includes climbers who have excelled in various disciplines including bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing.

The team is represented by eight athletes from Gauteng, one from KwaZulu-Natal, five from the Western Cape and three from the Eastern Cape.

This year the International Federation of Sports Climbing Youth World Championships will take place from August 22 in Guiyang, China.

The South African team is optimistic about their prospects and is determined to make the country proud.

Each athlete bears the financial responsibility of funding their travel and competitions. Bouwer said the management team is dedicated to ensuring that no athlete misses out due to lack of funds.

She and the team were thus very grateful for the financial aid they received from the embassy to support the team, and to make their journey a reality.

Peng, during the handing over ceremony, told the athletes from Gauteng who attended the event, that the future of China and South Africa’s relations depends on our youth.

This will be the team’s first visit to China and the ambassador expressed the hope that they will take full advantage of the opportunity.

“I hope you will take full advantage of this opportunity at the World Youth Climbing Championships to challenge yourselves and strive for excellence.”

He urged the athletes to also take the time to observe and to understand China . “Let your experiences and reflections contribute to the enduring ‘comrades plus brothers’ friendship between China and South Africa. Though separated by vast distances, we share a deep and historic friendship.”

Peng hailed the South African and Chinese athletes of the past and present, especially during the present Olympics. A full-screen display of the two countries’ ongoing achievements in Paris preceded the handing over ceremony.

“I see the same courage and confidence in you in Olympic champions, " he said when wishing the team well.

As part of his good wishes, the ambassador shared a verse from the 2008 Beijing Olympics with the team, which says: “With dreams, anyone can be extraordinary; with courage, opportunities and miracles arise.”

One of the team’s coaches, Nicholas Meinel, meanwhile, said the donation meant a lot to the team, as it would help all the athletes to travel to China.

“Our chances in China are good as this is our strongest team which has ever competed in a youth championship. There is a lot of excited energy and a lot of enthusiastic athletes who have been training very hard and have put in a lot of time, effort, dedication and passion into this. I think it will really show,” Meinel said.

Bridgette Erdey, media manager of the climbing federation said the team is all geared-up to go and proud to represent their country. This is an annual event which is held all over the world. Last year was in South Korea.

This year the team will comprise 17 athletes and four management. The athletes will train a little beforehand in China before they start competing against climbers from around the world.

This world championship is an indoor climbing event, which includes a speed event, where they climb a wall as fast as they can. The walls are normally about 15 meters high.

Erdey said this is one of the fastest growing sports which also features at the Olympics. While it is a relatively new sport, as it has only featured this year for the second time at the Olympics, it is fast growing in South Africa.

Pretoria News

zelda.venter@inl.co.za

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