Introduction

Before she became a regular on the IFSC World Cup podium in Boulder and an Olympic athlete, Oriane Bertone was best known in the climbing world for her outdoor ascents of hard boulder problems with numbers greater than her age. Then she became a dominant force in the IFSC youth circuit, winning the World Youth Championships in both Lead and Boulder in Arco in 2019. As a result, Bertone's arrival on the senior circuit in 2021 at the tender age of 16 came with a certain level of expectation.

Two silver medals in a row in Meiringen and Salt Lake City proved that Bertone was already a major player in Boulder, but her results gradually dropped off in a year of two halves (including a 41st at the World Championships in Boulder) — perhaps due to burn-out or increased pressure after her breakout start to the year. In Lead, Bertone showed potential with a 12th place in her first World Cup, but she has few participations to date in Lead compared to Boulder. 2022 started strong for Bertone with a 2nd and 4th place in Boulder, but once again she could not maintain consistent results — was it fatigue or head games?

Bertone's gutsy style has matured over the years. As a newcomer to the circuit, her youthful enthusiasm and dynamic ability sometimes got the better of her in moments where slowing down and contemplating a move might have helped her progress. In 2023, a more measured, confident Bertone left no doubt as to her intentions: to qualify for a home Olympic Games. After a 31st place in Hachioji, she won two silvers in a row before earning her first Boulder World Cup victory in Prague—beating Janja Garnbret in the process. Two semi-finals in Lead marked good progress ahead of Olympic selection, and a silver medal in Boulder and 6th place in the Olympic combined format at the Bern World Championships made her the one to watch at the European Olympic Qualifier Event in Laval. 

Qualification route

IFSC European Qualifier Event - Laval, France - 1st Place

Bertone excelled on home turf, topping the leaderboard after each round with a dominant performance in Boulder and displaying her improved endurance on the Lead wall. 

Trivia

Bertone was born on the French island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean, where a round of the Boulder World Cup used to be held in the early 2000s.

UKC prediction

Bertone needs more Lead World Cup experience under her belt before Paris, but her gradual rise to the top of podiums and towards more consistent results is definitely happening in line with the road to Paris. At a home Olympics, there will be huge pressure to win a medal—and if she continues in her 2023 form, she might just make the podium.