Janja Garnbret claimed victory this weekend at the Lead World Cup in Koper, securing her 31st win in Lead and her 49th gold medal overall. The achievement came in a season where she has only entered three official events, yet her effectiveness on the circuit remains untouched.

The Slovenian is a two-time Olympic champion —in Tokyo and Paris— with eight official world titles and numerous World Cup wins in both Lead and Boulder. Since her international debut in 2015, she has collected more than seventy medals in regular competitions organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing -IFSC-.

Unforgettable achievements in elite climbing

In 2019, she completed a flawless Boulder season: winning all six World Cup events and solving 74 out of 78 problems, a record still unmatched in the history of the circuit. That year set a new competitive standard and showcased unprecedented technical dominance.

At the Paris Olympic Games, she injured a finger during the Boulder round but, after being checked by her physiotherapist, continued and went on to win the Lead portion. She later recalled: “I didn’t care if I lost a finger. I would go and climb the route.”

Feats beyond the climbing wall

Outside official competitions, Garnbret became the first woman to onsight (climb at the first attempt without prior study) an 8c (5.14b) —with Fish Eye and American Hustle in Oliana—. She has also ticked 9a routes in Catalonia, redpointed up to 5.14d, and sent boulders up to V14. Together with Domen Škofic, she also climbed the tallest artificial chimney in Europe in a project produced by ‘Red Bull’.

She describes herself as a perfectionist: “The biggest pressure comes from me, because I expect to perform at my best in every competition and every training session,” she told UK Climbing. She also admits it is sometimes necessary to ease up: “Perfectionism can slow your progress, because sometimes you need to be more compassionate with yourself.”

Her coach Roman Krajnik focuses specifically on that mental dimension, while she has chosen not to work with sports psychologists. In a branded documentary with Adidas TERREX, Garnbret addressed issues such as mental health, body image, menstruation, and confidence during competition.

In that same series, she explained that talking about insecurities and body standards in sport was a necessary step, influenced by the testimonies of other athletes. In August 2025 she wrote on her social media: “Mental health is strength. And self-care is not a pause in your progress,” underlining the importance of looking after the mind alongside performance.

A reference beyond titles

Garnbret has been an outspoken voice in the field of athlete health and well-being. She was among the climbers who pushed the IFSC to implement new measures against eating disorders and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport -RED-S-. Since 2024, the federation has required athletes to provide medical parameters before competing, undergo random health checks during the season, and present health certificates issued by national federations.

On the matter, she said: “The new system seems good on paper, but until I see it in practice, nothing will change — and I won’t believe it. It’s still a huge problem.”