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Julian david

Julian David, born in France in 2005 and raised in Tauranga, is New Zealand’s first male Olympic speed climber and a breakout star of the Paris 2024 Games. After taking up the sport competitively in his mid-teens, he quickly rose through the ranks, setting national speed records and dominating domestic competitions. In 2023, he claimed gold at the IFSC Youth World Championships, the first ever for a New Zealander in the discipline, and shortly after, won the Oceania Olympic Qualifier to book his ticket to Paris.

At the Olympics, David delivered a personal best of 5.20 seconds, advanced to the quarterfinals, and finished eighth overall, a remarkable achievement in his Olympic debut. Known for his rapid progression, fierce focus, and technical precision, he holds multiple New Zealand and Oceania records, with an unofficial best of 5.16 seconds. Julian trains at Blake Park’s world-class speed wall under coach Rob Moore, with an intense regime blending wall work, strength, and sports science.

Off the wall, Julian is humble and disciplined, often balancing training with full-time study and a near-daily training load. Recognised with the 2024 Halberg Emerging Talent Award, he’s fast becoming the face of speed climbing in New Zealand and is widely tipped to contend for medals in future Olympic cycles.


Nickname: Jules or Jimmy 

Date of Birth: 30 January 2005

Place of Birth: La Roche-Sur-Yon, France

University: Bachelor of Business in Finance at the University of Waikato  (not completed)

Height: 175cm

Weight: 70kg


Climbing Career

At the start of 2022, I joined the New Zealand Speed team and began to specialize in training speed climbing. I used the 2022 season mainly for exposure and experience setting me up for the following crucial 2023 season. In the 2023 season, I competed in Korea, Switzerland, France, and Korea again. I won the Youth World Championships becoming the Junior World champion and the first Kiwi to medal at an IFSC (International Federation Sport Climbing) event. I then topped it all off in Melbourne, Australia winning the Oceania Olympic Qualifying Event. Becoming the first Kiwi climber alongside Sarah Tetzlaff to qualify for the Olympics. In the 2024 season, I competed in China and France in Chamonix and Briancon as a lead-up event to the Olympics. I competed at my first ever Olympics at 19. In the qualifiers, I got a new PB of 5.24 seconds ranking me 7th heading into the finals against the former world champ and world record holder from Iran, Rezza Alipour, In the finals I beat Reza by 600ths of a second with a new PB of 5.20 seconds. My next final race put me against the current world record holder Sam Watson from the USA. Sam ended up beating me in a close race, ending my Olympics coming 8th overall and can't wait for the chance to compete at the next Olympics in LA28!


Career high: 8th at the 2024 Paris Olympics 

Accolades:

First Kiwi Athlete ever selected to the Olympics for Speed Climbing, 8th at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Junior World Champion (2023), Oceania Champion (2023&2025), Oceania Record Holder Since (2023), Sky Sports Halberg Emerging Talent award (2024), 15th in the World (Continuous World Ranking)


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