The national paraclimbing team secured two medals at the first international competition of the 2024 season. The Romanian athletes Liviu Matei and Răzvan Nedu returned home with silver and bronze from the Paraclimbing World Cup in Salt Lake City, the US.

The World Cup’s qualifications and the final were held on May 7-8, and Romania was represented by five athletes, namely Răzvan Nedu and Adriana Tofan – category B1 (completely blind), Ionela Drăgan - category B3 (visual acuity between 2/60 and 6/60 and a visual field between 5% and 20%), Ștefan Dogaru - category RP3 (neurological/physical disability), and Liviu Matei - category AU3 (upper extremity amputee).

Liviu Matei competed for the first time in the final stage of a World Cup and ranked second in the AU3 category. Meanwhile, Răzvan Nedu, the captain of the National Paraclimbing Team, climbed to the third step of the ranking in the B1 category.

Next in this competition season, the Romanian paraclimbing team will be present at the World Cup in Innsbruck (Austria), the World Cup in Arco (Italy), and the European Championship in Villars (Switzerland).

The Climb Again Association, the coordinator of the Romanian paraclimbing team, is a non-governmental organization affiliated with the Romanian Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (FRAE), founded and led by Claudiu Miu, former Balkan climbing champion. Since 2014, it has been organizing free sessions of climbing therapy, physical therapy, and psychological counseling for children and young people with disabilities.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Climb Again Association)