Iranian Climber Elnaz Rekabi: Gender Not Important in Competitive Climbing

In an interview with Sputniknews, Rekabi said that she became interested in climbing in her youth when her brother had become an Asian vice champion in competitive climbing at a competition in Zanjan, a city in northwestern Iran.

She has won 84 medals: eight gold medals, including a gold medal at the Adidas Rockstars boulder competition in Stuttgart, a golden medal at the Asian Rock Climbing Cup, a silver medal in bouldering at the Asia Climbing Championship, a silver medal at the Asia Climbing Championship in Iran and a bronze medal in lead climbing at the Asian Sport Climbing Championship in Indonesia.

"At first glance, climbing seems to be very tough and hard sport, but when you begin to engage in it and get to know it closer, you understand that a woman body type is not an impediment, but on the contrary it helps to pass the route more successfully and learn the secret of this sport.

“That's why women all over the world engage in rock climbing equally with men and even can compete with them on the same level. Gender is not very important in competitive climbing. Moreover, female climbing technique is so interesting that the audience sometimes prefer watching a women's competition more than a men's one," Rekabi said.