Asian Games pressure catches self-funded climber Qun Tao off guard

Debut climber Qun Tao, 21, experienced significant pressure during the men's boulder semi-finals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, finishing 14th. The South Korean Lee Dohyun topped the podium with a score of 99.7, followed by Japan's Sorata Anraku with 99.3 and China's Pan Yufei with 84.1. Qun Tao struggled with the nerves, admitting he found it challenging to get a proper warm-up and think straight during the first two minutes of his first boulder.

Upon finally finding the right approach, he felt relieved, stating that it was as if he had "a breath of fresh air." The young athlete realized that the intense pressure of the Asian Games caught him off guard, as he had been focusing primarily on the technical aspects of climbing, such as movement and strength, without adequately addressing the mindset and pressure aspect.

Looking ahead, Qun Tao plans to participate in the lead event semi-finals the following day, his preferred discipline. Despite his self-funded status, Qun Tao, who is studying commerce at the University of Melbourne, will still be reimbursed by the Malaysian government if he secures a medal.