Will Bosi misses out on Olympic qualification chance

Will Bosi narrowly missed out on a chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics next year in the Toulouse Combined Qualifier.

This leaves him just one chance for a place in Tokyo, with the qualification event in Moscow in March 2020.

Competing in Toulouse, Will was placed 12^th in the Speed round, with a time of 7.311 seconds. The first problem in the Boulder qualification round beat the likes of Jan Hojer, while Will topped out on that and the next two boulders.

However he slipped off while lining up for the finishing hold of the fourth problem. Unfortunately, Will didn’t manage to finish it off, but he climbed better than he’d expected and placed 9th, so he was confident as he prepared for the last qualification round, Lead – his strongest discipline.

The Lead round was highly competitive, with many climbers doing well, and to make the final Will required to climb past hold 46. He looked comfortable up the initial headwall, but a slight mistake under the lip of the last roof sapped his strength and he fell at hold 44.

Unfortunately, Will missed out in securing a place in the finals this time and provisionally finished in 14th overall. However, this does not rule out Will’s Olympic journey, which will now require him to compete in the Continental Championships – the third and final Olympic Qualification Event in Moscow in March 2020.

Kev Howett, Sports Development Officer with Mountaineering Scotland, said: “We have been following Will’s journey in competition climbing from humble beginnings at the Scottish Youth competitions and now to the Olympics. Although he missed out by a very small margin at Toulouse, we are sure his wide experience of climbing both indoors and outdoors at the highest levels shows he has the tenacity and ability to come back at Moscow. We will be pinned to the Moscow competition and willing him on!”