A national-level Olympic-format speed climbing championship was organised at the Madras Regimental Centre (MRC) in Wellington, The Nilgiris, on Saturday (May 23, 2026).In a press release, the Indian Mountaineering Federation, in association with the Sport Climbing Association of Tamil Nadu, said that the championship was the culmination of a five-day adventure training camp that started on May 18.“Athletes from various States, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi, participated in the championship. Competitions were conducted across multiple age-group and gender categories on the Army Adventure Wing’s IFSC-standard 15-metre (approximately 50-foot) Olympic-format speed climbing walls,” the press release stated.Athletes Aniruddha Sing Beniwal and Mishka Chaudhary clocked the fastest times in the men’s and women’s categories. Both athletes are from Karnataka. Meanwhile, climbers from Tamil Nadu competed in the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 age groups and also in the Men’s category. “The championship would contribute to the growth of competitive sport climbing in the country. Nearly 30% of the participants were women, reflecting increasing interest among young women in the sport,” said the Sport Climbing Association of Tamil Nadu, in the press release.“Grassroot athletes development initiatives will help young climbers progress to international levels and Tamil Nadu has the potential to emerge as a major sport climbing hub in India,” the release added. Published - May 24, 2026 06:33 pm IST