Jesse Grupper has been climbing since age six; by nine, he had started competing and never looked back. Now, aged 27, he’s been a member of the youth national team ten times and the open national team five times.
Sport climbing debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), the year following was a breakout year for the climber from Upper Montclair, New Jersey. In 2022, he won five medals on the IFSC World Cup circuit in bouldering and lead, and with his first-place finish at the Pan American Games 2023, he earned a quota for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
In a recent interview with Olympics.com ahead of Paris 2024, the soft-spoken climber opened about competitions, croissants, crying and the evolving sport climbing landscape.
- Paris 2024 - What is the new sport climbing format?
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
Grupper is still learning and adapting in his climbing …
Grupper says that he has been adapting to the changing landscape in sport climbing. “I'm enamored with the sport,” he explains to Olympics.com. "But I think that it’s changed a lot in recent years, and I’ve had to adjust to those changes. There’s been a lot of a change in the number of coordination moves—run-and-jumps and the ability to grab holds and move off of them faster has been a challenge for me to get used to that new style of the sport.”
He adds, “I'm a pretty slow climber in general, so I’m pretty excited about having bouldering and lead be separate disciplines [from speed].”
At Tokyo 2020, sport climbing was contested as a single discipline, including boulder, lead and speed. Speed will be contested separately from boulder and lead at Paris 2024, serving Grupper well as he’s currently the top-ranked U.S. men’s lead climber and third-place in boulder and lead.
Grupper is fascinated with expanding human potential in sport climbing and in mechanical engineering
Grupper is a 2019 Tufts University graduate with a Mechanical Engineering degree. During college, he often overlapped climbing and engineering to find ways to further human potential, including working with kids with disabilities and teaching them how to overcome climbing challenges.
When asked where he finds inspiration in professional sport climbing, Grupper tells Olympics.com, “I think that human performance and the ability to push the body have always been something that I look for in the sport. One of the most beautiful parts for me […] is when someone’s able to do something that no one else was able to before. I would say that's always inspiring.”
He points to his heroes, renowned sport climbers Tommy Caldwell and Chris Sharma: “They have always been the ones who have been pushing the needle since I was a kid. As far as the hardest climbs in the world or the biggest climbs in the world.”
He cried during his first outdoor climbing experience
While he's now considered one of the world's strongest sport climbers, Grupper's initial experience with the sport brought out a range of emotions that had a profound impact on his choice of career.
“Honestly, probably one of the first experiences I had outdoor climbing. I was incredibly scared and nervous climbing outside, and there was this moment where I was crying a little bit on the wall because I was afraid of falling from heights. I was able to push through that."
"That feeling of overcoming challenges in my life despite fear was a really powerful and moving thing for me at the time.”
He adds, “I'm incredibly excited to continue to chase that feeling and keep climbing.”
Grupper not only overcame that fear but has also made a name for himself climbing notable outdoor routes worldwide, which he documents on his Instagram account. He recently shared his successful ascent of a 5.15a grade climb, “Full Metal Brisket,” on the sandstone cliffs of West Virginia’s New River Gorge.
He draws inspiration from the crowd at competitions
When Grupper is on the wall at a competition, he’s primarily in the zone. “But,” he says, “when I realize that the crowd is cheering to the next level, that means that I’ve got to a new high point on the climb. That is just so meaningful to me having that sort of support.”
When he won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games and earned a quota for Paris 2024, he said, “I was coming off the wall, and the crowd was chanting my name, and it was a really incredible experience to be able to share that with so many people. It was an emotional moment for me. It's just awesome to get to share that with a lot of family and loved ones as well as strangers that maybe draw a little bit of inspiration from a performance like that.”
Jesse Grupper
Jesse Grupper on what he's most looking forward to in Paris
Three years ago, Grupper was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. He receives regular medical infusions to treat his condition and now follows a gluten-free diet. When asked what he is most excited about in Paris, Grupper told Olympics.com, “I'm super excited about a gluten-free bakery in Paris.” He already has an order in mind— “definitely a pistachio croissant.”
He adds that he’s also looking forward to competing in the Paris 2024 sport climbing venue, “Being able to climb in front of that kind of crowd and in that environment is something I’m really looking forward to,” he says. “I'm also excited to have my family and friends in Paris with me and to explore the city, walk around and see some art and museums.”
What Jesse Grupper would say to his future self
Many athletes have looked back on the early days of their careers and thought about what they would say to their younger selves. But what would Grupper say to the future version of himself after his time in climbing has come to an end?
“Dear future me, you put in a ton of work to be where you are today. I know how challenging it's been over time. And I think you should just be proud of taking it one day at a time and exploring climbing in the way you have and pushing yourself as far as you have.”
The sport climbing competition at Paris 2024 will take place from 5 to 10 August in the brand new Le Bourget climbing venue.
