Zurloni, on top of the world in 5 minutes: “I’ll tell you about climbing”

From our correspondent Simone Battaggia

October 15th
– Trent

On top of the world in five seconds. Matteo Zurloni, a 21-year-old Italian climber from Segrate, closed the climbing program of the 2023 Sports Festival. And there couldn’t have been a more spectacular closure, with Matteo agreeing to “challenge” one of the talented instructors who for four days involved more than 800 children on the walls mounted in Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, to demonstrate what speed climbing is. This is the – Olympic – specialty that saw Zurloni crowned world champion on 10 August in Bern, Switzerland, after having obtained the Olympic pass thanks to the victory in the semi-final. On the same day, Zurloni also set a European record (5″023), improving the limit he had set on 22 April in the Italian Cup in Faenza (5″046).

Dream 4′ 70″

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Sports Science student, Zurloni explained the origins of his passion. “Grandpa Felice was a mountaineer, registered with the CAI of Cinisello Balsamo, he also climbed in the Andes and his stories as a child fascinated me. I started climbing when I was little, in Campitello di Fassa, and when I returned to Milan I immediately wanted to go to the gym.” A bit of crag climbing, but also bouldering and lead, until the decision three years ago to focus on speed, the specialty which in Paris 2024 will have its own set of medals, while in Tokyo only the combined one was awarded. “It was a positive decision, we hope that in the future we will be able to have a gold for each specialty – says Zurloni -. I work to improve myself, it’s not easy to shave a few cents on a route that is always the same, but which leaves no margin for error. In addition to athletics and weightlifting, which train explosiveness, I believe that boxing can also be useful in our sport, which can train reflexes. Towards Paris I will include a seventh weekly athletics training session to be more explosive. I don’t think I have a huge talent, but I think I have the right head for the sport. And I work to get as close as possible to what I believe is the human limit on this route: 4 seconds and 7 tenths”.