Natalia Grossman seems like an unstoppable juggernaut, charging ahead with a drive that knows no bounds! Fresh from her debut at the 2024 Olympics, the 23-year-old has already made a name for herself among the world’s elite rock climbers, despite being injured before the Olympics. That injury posed a bump in the road. Despite her impressive resume, which includes clinching her Olympic spot with a gold medal at the Pan American Games Santiago 2023, she hit another obstacle in Paris, finishing 11th in the semifinals and missing out on the finals for sport climbing boulder and lead.
But Grossman’s rise to the top of the climbing world is a story worth telling. Her path may seem like it skyrocketed overnight, but it was built on countless hours of hard work and dedication. Few know how Natalia Grossman’s journey began, but today, we at EssentiallySports, are peeling back the layers of her story to reveal how she scaled the heights of climbing in its second Olympic appearance, marking her own debut in the sport as this started back in 2020.
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Graduating from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2022, Natalia Grossman aspires to become a therapist after her climbing career. In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports correspondent Shreya Verma at the Paris Olympics on August 10th, Grossman reflected on her experience. When Shreya asked, “So how was Paris Olympics? Was it your first Olympics?” Grossman replied, “Yes, Paris was my first Olympics and the competition didn’t go exactly how I wanted it to go. But just reminding myself that to be here is a privilege and something to be proud of.”
Did Natalia Grossman just redefine resilience in sports? React!
Shreya further asked, “So tell us a bit about climbing because it’s such a new sport to Olympics. How did you get into the sport? How did it all start?” In response, Natalia said, “I started climbing when I was six years old. So I was fairly young and I lived really close to a climbing gym.” She further added, “I kind of just stumbled upon the building and was curious what it was and wanted to start climbing right away. That was in St. Louis, California. And throughout the years, I kind of just became more involved in climbing and wanted to pursue it even more.”
Originally a high-energy kid enrolled in gymnastics, Grossman fell in love with climbing the moment she tried it. She quickly demonstrated her potential, and at 15, she moved with her family from California to Boulder, Colorado, to further her climbing career. Now residing in Salt Lake City, she doesn’t take her path to climbing dominance for granted. Aware that the high cost of the sport can be a barrier for many, she hints at a future project aimed at making climbing more accessible.
The conversation didn’t stop there. It’s worth noting that Natalia Grossman faced her injury during the finals of the 2024 IFSC Boulder World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah. The injury affected her performance, particularly on the final problem of the night, which involved a demanding jump that stressed her right knee. Despite the challenge, Grossman managed to overcome the discomfort and secure the gold medal. Yet, she still went on to compete in the Paris Olympics.
Overcoming injury to shine—Is Natalia Grossman the most resilient athlete in sport climbing today?
As she puts it, “I would have done like 8 or 9 World Cups. But I’ve only done one. Just because I hurt my knee and I wasn’t able to train and compete. Back in May. So I wasn’t able to do the World Cups this summer, which I would have liked to do.”
Grossman further added: “Yeah, so I tore my LCL and popliteus in my knee in May. And that was my first acute injury I’ve ever had. So that was not ideal timing. And I think that’s definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with mentally. It took a lot away from me. It made me lose all my belief in… I wasn’t able to train at what seemed like a critical point. No one wants to get injured right before a competition.” But what motivated her? It seems that, indirectly, it was Chris Omprakash Sharma—celebrated as one of the sport’s most influential figures. Sharma made history in 2008 by completing the world’s first 9b (5.15b) route, Jumbo Love.
When Shreya asked Grossman about her connection with Chris Sharma, inquiring, “So you trained with Chris Sharma? Is he your coach, or did you train with him?” Grossman clarified, “No, I just met him for the first time a week ago in Barcelona.” She continued, “It was really cool. He’s actually from the same gym I grew up climbing in when I was younger. And he was probably my biggest role model when I was younger. So it was cool to get to go to his gyms in Spain and get to meet him.” As for her dreams, Grossman shared that her ultimate aspiration has always been the Olympics.
When asked about her decision to pursue climbing as an Olympic sport, Grossman said: “Yeah, it was after the 2021 Olympics….. That was kind of when I decided I wanted to try and make it to Paris. And it was announced that it was going to be an Olympic sport when I was like 14 or 15. So I was pretty old. I didn’t grow up as a young child. I grew up watching the Olympics. I wanted to go there for climbing just because we kind of never thought climbing would be in the Olympics. So it was a somewhat shorter journey.” But how does she balance mental health and training the the same time?
Grossman’s experience with training, mental health, and Olympic dreamsADVERTISEMENT
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Natalia Grossman emphasized the importance of striking a balance, especially in a sport as demanding as climbing, where daily workouts aren’t always practical. Understanding the significance of rest and recovery in training has been a lesson she gradually mastered. She typically practices five days a week, multiple times a day, although not always consistently. She also pointed out that the mental challenges of climbing and competing are often undervalued.
Well, a perfect example of mental health challenges in sports is Simone Biles, who faced “the twisties” – a disorienting feeling in mid-air that can prevent athletes from performing at their best. Biles took time off during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to focus on her mental health and made a strong comeback in 2023. Given Shreya’s admiration for Biles, she asked Grossman, “So, Simone Biles talks about something called ‘riskiness’ in gymnastics when you’re up in the air and you lose control. Is there something like that in rock climbing as well?”
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Grossman addressed the concept of managing riskiness in climbing, explaining, “It’s more so just like learning how to manage your beliefs and just injury, doubts, expectations, pressure.” Verma then asked about Grossman’s journey and her undefeated time from 2019 to 2020, Grossman replied, “And I was undefeated in the U.S., not worldwide. And that was kind of the year that kickstarted everything and I think made me believe that I could do what I wanted to do. And then everything shut down during COVID for a while. And having that time just to climb outside and then eventually get back to training. And showing up to the World Cup circuit in 2021 without any expectations but so much belief in myself. And then having a season, my first World Cup season, definitely showed me what I am capable of. “
She first competed in Women’s Bouldering in 2019, returning in 2021 and 2023, and also entered the Women’s Bouldering & Lead Combined event in 2023. Additionally, she showcased her skills in Women’s Lead during the same years and tested her limits in Women’s Combined and Speed in 2019. Grossman has earned two medals: a gold in Women’s Bouldering in 2021 and a silver in Women’s Lead that same year. With that in mind, let’s eagerly anticipate LA 2028, where we can envision her dominating the climbing events with even greater strength! Our best wishes are with her!
Source : EssentiallySports