Alex Megos Popped a Pulley Before the Olympic Qualifier Series
The injury affected his performance in Shanghai but he's training hard for Budapest next month
Nakajima Kazushige/IFSC
The first of two Olympic Qualifier Series events wrapped up last weekend in Shanghai, China. Alex Megos is one of the favourites to earn an Olympic ticket from the Series. In Shanghai, he didn’t end up making finals after placing 12th in Boulder and seventh in Lead in the semi-finals, leaving him 12th overall in the competition. Megos just revealed that he went into the competition with a serious injury.
“I’m not gonna lie, it’s not what I hoped for,” said Megos on Instagram about his OQS performance. “A few weeks ago I had this scenario in my head of crushing at the first OQS in Shanghai and heading to Budapest a little more relaxed. Then, not even three weeks before the comp I fully ruptured the A4 of my middle finger and suddenly it seemed ambitious to even hope for a semifinal in Shanghai.
“For the three weeks before the comp I kinda just tried [to] climb as best as I could and manage the pain and discomfort, while also not overdoing it to not risk further injuries. Looking back now I’m so grateful I got to go to Shanghai and fight for a ticket, despite the injury. It didn’t go amazing, but I’m still in the game. All eyes on Budapest now! The training has begun.”
Best known for his rock climbing, Megos has also had quite the career in comp climbing. Undoubtedly a Lead specialist, he has podiumed many times in Lead World Cups and World Championships. Last year he won silver at the Innsbruck World Cup and bronze at the Villars World Cup and Bern World Championships. In Boulder competitions, Megos tends to have mixed results, but he regularly places in the top 15.
The next (and final) Olympic Qualifier Series event will be held in Budapest, Hungary from June 20 to 23. At the end of the event, 12 Olympic tickets in each gender category will be awarded.
