Janja Garnbret climbs 100 routes in 24-hours and helps raise over 60K for charity

Two-time Olympic champion Janja Garnbret has once again pushed her limits, merging competitiveness with charity on 22 and 23 August at the largest climbing gym in Slovenia where she climbed 100 routes in under 24 hours in support of young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds.

More than 2,200 climbers and fans from 23 countries answered Garnbret's call to climb together for a good cause at the Plezalni center Slovenska Bistrica climbing wall. Throughout the event, every single route or boulder climbed contributed to the grand total, creating an atmosphere that Garnbret described as "connecting in a way I’ve never experienced before."

For her part, Garnbret had announced the goal to complete all 100 hardest routes of the entire climbing gym. She started at 21:00, climbed the first 45 until about 01:30 at night, rested for a few hours and resumed climbing at 9 the next morning in order to send the remaining routes during the rest of the day. The hardest climb? An 8b, number 99, broadcast live on Slovenia’s national television!

The event was far more than a sporting spectacle. It showcased how climbing - and sport in general - can inspire, unite, and create positive energy among likeminded people.

"This was one of the most emotional and powerful moments of my career," said Garnbret after completing her 100th route. "Climbing for 24 hours was long and exhausting, but it was also filled with so much positive energy, meaning and purpose. Sport has given me so much, and being able to give back in this way - together with so many people - is unforgettable. When I topped the 100th route, I was completely drained, but also completely full - of gratitude, pride and belief in what we can achieve when sport meets purpose."

Throughout the day, visitors had the opportunity to climb alongside Garnbret and contribute to the cause. Thanks to Garnbret’s achievement and the enthusiastic participation of the climbing community - with more than two thousand routes and nearly five thousand boulders completed - the event had already raised a total of EUR 61,478.29 for young athletes by the end of the public broadcast. Together with other initiatives Garnbret has supported throughout the year, the grand total is set to be much higher and will be announced at the Olympic Gala on 5 November.

THE INITIATIVE
"Botrstvo v športu" (Engl. Godmother of Sports) is a Slovenian initiative in which prominent athletes and sports representatives take on a public role in raising money for underprivileged children in sport over the course of one year. Garnbret was awarded this role at the end of 2024, following in the footsteps of all-time greats such as NBA star Goran Dragić, skier Tina Maze, former ski jumper and cyclist Primož Roglič, and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin.