RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian speed climbing team opened its 2026 season with both sobering lessons and a glimmer of hope, as head coach Galar Pandu Asmoro stressed that athletes must sharpen their skills to keep pace with an increasingly unforgiving global competition.

He noted that the World Climbing Series 2026 Wujiang in China, the first major series of the year, revealed how quickly rivals are advancing. “The competition is now extremely tight, even brutal,” Galar said after the final match of the series on Sunday, May 10, as quoted by Antara.

Times have become so competitive that a five‑second run in the men’s category no longer guarantees a spot in the semifinals, he said.

For Indonesia, the results underscored the need for improvement in technique, consistency, and risk‑taking. Quarterfinal exits by Raharjati Nursamsa and Veddriq Leonardo highlighted the high‑stakes nature of speed climbing, where boldness is often decisive. Still, Galar praised his athletes’ efforts, acknowledging that setbacks are part of the sport.

The team’s consolation came from Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi, who secured bronze in the women’s speed event. She edged Poland’s Natalia Kalucka in the small final with a time of 6.17 seconds, compared to Kalucka’s 6.39. The gold went to Aleksandra Kalucka of Poland, who defeated Russia’s Elizaveta Ivanova in the final showdown.

Despite the challenges, Galar remains upbeat. “We will evaluate, we will improve, and we are confident Indonesian climbing will continue to shine,” he said, pointing to Desak Made’s podium finish as proof that the team can still deliver on the world stage. ***