Aug. 5, 2024, 10 a.m. local time. The date is plastered in Sean McColl's mind — it marks the beginning of the sport climbing competition at the Paris Olympics.
Just one issue: McColl still needs to qualify. The 36-year-old from North Vancouver, B.C., nearly got it done at the Pan American Games last month in Santiago, Chile.
But just as he was leading the competition through the bouldering round, he fell and cracked a rib. "I can't say whether I would have qualified or not," McColl, who wound up fourth, told CBC Sports in a recent interview. "I was more just happy that I could compete.
It would have really frustrated me if they said 'you can't climb your route' because one of my biggest things is there was one route that was separating me from my second Olympics. "And I live for those moments." Help shape the future of CBC article pages by taking a quick survey.