Introduction

Paul Jenft wasn’t a huge fan of climbing when he first started, mainly going to the wall because his sister was part of the climbing club there. Then he saw a route that he liked the look of. He set his sights on it and, four months of graft later, found himself at the top. His interest was piqued, and he’s been committed ever since.

Paul was yet another climber in the three-person climb-off for the two available places on the French team. Jenft finished just four points ahead of Mejdi Schalck, in what was a bittersweet end to the three year communal goal that both he and Schalck had shared - qualifying for the Paris games.

When it comes to bouldering ability, Paul has been consistently impressive since his first full World Cup season in 2022. Two fourth place finishes and a ninth place finish in the four World Cups he entered made for an  admirable debut season, whilst a third place finish in Hachioji in 2023 showed that his 2022 season was no fluke.

Whilst he doesn’t have the medals to show for it, Paul’s lead climbing isn’t far behind. He made his first and second finals in 2021, made semis in the two comps he competed in during the 2022 season, and finished the 2023 season with a sixth place finish in Bern. An eighth place finish in the combined Boulder and Lead in Bern - the first Olympic Qualifying Event - marks Paul as an outside bet for the finals in Paris, where he’ll no doubt be cheered on by a supportive home crowd…

Qualification route

Olympic Qualifier Series 2024: 6th Place

Trivia

At 190cm tall, Jenft will be the tallest climber at the Paris Olympics. Excluding Jenft, the average height of the male combined athletes is 175.15cm, with thirteen of the twenty athletes between 170cm and 178cm in height.

UKC prediction

11th-15th place

Whilst Paul has been on the circuit for a couple of years now, it doesn’t feel like he’s got quite the same experience as many of the athletes who will be out in Paris. We can see him having a good, or maybe even great, bouldering round, but think it’s unlikely that his lead climbing will match up, leaving him just outside the top 10.