Adam Ondra (; born February 5, 1993) is a Czech professional rock climber, specializing in lead climbing, bouldering, and competition climbing. In 2013, Rock & Ice described Ondra as a prodigy and the leading climber of his generation. Ondra is the only male athlete to have won World Championship titles in both disciplines in the same year (2014) and is one of the two male athletes (alongside Sorato Anraku in 2023) to have won the World Cup series in both disciplines (lead climbing in 2009, 2015, and 2019 and bouldering in 2010).
At age 13, Ondra redpointed his first graded sport route. Rock & Ice noted that by 2011, he was "onsighting 5.14c's by the handful", and by 2013, had "more or less repeated every hard route in the world—easily". By end 2018, Ondra had climbed 1,550 sport routes between grades and , of which one was a , three were , and three were onsights of .
Ondra is the first climber to redpoint a route with a proposed grade of (Silence, 2017), the first climber to redpoint a route (Change, 2012), the first-ever to flash a route (Supercrackinette, 2018), and the second ever to onsight a route (Cabane au Canada, 2013).
Although primarily known for sport climbing, Ondra has repeated or established difficult big wall climbs, traditional climbs, and boulder problems. Because of his achievements, Ondra is often referred to as the world's strongest climber.
Climbing career Early years
Ondra started climbing at the age of six; his parents are climbers, and they shared their passion with him. In 1999, at age six, in Rovinj, Croatia, Ondra climbed a route with bolts every half meter. He quickly rose to fame, appearing in climbing magazines as his accomplishments became both more impressive and frequent: In 2001, (at age eight), he onsighted routes. In 2002, (at age nine), he onsighted and redpointed . In 2003, (at age ten), he onsighted . In 2004, (at age eleven), he onsighted and redpointed . In 2005, (at age twelve), he onsighted . In 2006, (at age thirteen), he managed to redpoint his first , Martin Krpan at Misja Pec.
Competition climbing
In 2007 and 2008, he won the IFSC World Youth Championship, category Youth B. In 2009, at age sixteen, Ondra competed for the first time in the Lead Climbing World Cup, finishing ahead of Spanish Patxi Usobiaga and Japanese Sachi Amma. In 2010, he won the Bouldering World Cup, beating Austrian climber Kilian Fischhuber and Tsukuru Hori from Japan, becoming the first athlete in history to win the World Cup in both disciplines (lead and bouldering).
Ondra failed to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics at the 2019 IFSC Climbing World Championships, as he was disqualified for accidentally toeing a bolt during the lead climbing portion of the combined event. However, at the Olympic qualifying event in Toulouse later that year, he managed to secure a place in the Olympic Games, despite falling ill after reaching the finals of the event.
In April 2021 Ondra won gold in the bouldering discipline at the IFSC World Cup in Meiringen, Switzerland. This marked his 20th World Cup gold medal. Ondra finished in sixth place at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the Boulder, Lead and Speed Combined and also sixth place in the 2024 Summer Olympics Boulder and Lead Combined.
Rock climbing
During a March 2011 trip to Spain, Ondra became the second-ever person to onsight a route, after Patxi Usobiaga. On October 4, 2012, Ondra redpointed Change in the Hanshelleren Cave, Flatanger Municipality, Norway, the world's first-ever route to receive a grade of .
On February 7, 2013, Ondra ascended La Dura Dura in Oliana, Catalonia, Spain, his second after Change. He worked on this project with American climber Chris Sharma, and the first ascent took Ondra nine weeks. On February 9, 2013, two days after La Dura Dura, Ondra succeeded in the second ascent of the route, Fight or flight, first climbed by Sharma in 2011. On July 9, 2013, Ondra realized the second-ever onsight of a route in history, after Alexander Megos, with the ascent of Cabane au Canada in Rawyl, Switzerland.
On November 21, 2016, Ondra completed the second free ascent of the 1,000-metre granite route, The Dawn Wall, a 32-pitch grade big wall climbing route at El Capitan in the Yosemite Valley. The route was widely regarded as the hardest big wall climbing route in the world. Ondra led every pitch and completed the project in 8 days (the first ascenders, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson alternated leads, and spent 19 days on the wall).
On April 23, 2017, Ondra set a new highpoint for Black Diamond's The Project indoor sport route in Stockholm, Sweden, which is believed to be the hardest in the world.
On September 3, 2017, after about 4 years of dedicated work and training, Ondra climbed Silence, in the Hanshelleren Cave in Flatanger Municipality, Norway. Silence was the world's first-ever route to have a proposed grade of . On February 10, 2018, Ondra completed the world's first-ever flash of a confirmed route with his ascent of Super Crackinette in Saint-Léger du Ventoux, France.
Rankings
Climbing World Cup Discipline 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 Lead 1 3 57 - 11 3 1 23 27 31 1 31 19 22 35 Bouldering 15 1 - - - 24 3 - - - 2 3 - 20 32 Speed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Combined 1 1 - - - 2 1 - 65 - 2 - - - -
Climbing World Championships Youth Discipline 2007Youth B 2008Youth B 2009Youth A Lead 1 1 1
Adult Discipline 2009 2011 2012 2014 2016 2018 2019 2023 2025 Lead 2 3 3 1 1 2 1 8 15 Bouldering - 2 - 1 2 17 6 8 - Speed - 70 - - - 81 58 - - Combined - - - - - 218 6 -
Climbing European Championships Discipline 2010 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 Lead 2 - 2 2 1 1 Bouldering 2 - 2 - - 3 Source:
Rock Master Discipline 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Lead 3 3 5 - Duel 1 2 - 1 1 KO Boulder - - - - - - - 1
Number of medals in the Climbing European Youth Cup Lead Season Category Gold Silver Bronze Total2007 Youth B 5 52008 Youth B 5 5Total 10 0 0 10 Source:
Number of medals in the Climbing World Cup Lead Season Gold Silver Bronze Total2009 4 42010 1 1 1 32011 2012 02013 1 1 22014 3 32015 2 2 42016 02017 1 12018 02019 3 32020 1 12021 02022 1 12023 1 1Total 16 61 23 Source:
Bouldering Season Gold Silver Bronze Total2009 1 12010 3 2 52011 2012 2013 02014 1 12015 2 22016 2017 2018 02019 1 2 32021 2 22022 02023 1 1Total 6 6 3 15 Source:
Single-pitch routes The table below shows the large number of routes graded or more ascended by Adam Ondra in about 16 years, from August 2, 2002 (when he redpointed his first 8a) to November 10, 2018. The total number is 1554, of which one was at and 725 were onsighted, including four onsights at and one flash at .
+ Number of ascended routesGrade Redpoint Flash On-sight Total 1 1 4 4 20 20 39 1 40 101 2 4 107 124 1 21 146 110 1 61 172 96 4 85 185 108 19 143 270 82 17 207 306 65 35 205 305 Total 750 80 725 1555
Redpoint : Silence (originally known as Project hard) - Flatanger Municipality (NOR) - September 3, 2017 - First ascent, and world's first-ever proposed route (the grade has to be confirmed).
: Zvěřinec (Menagerie) - Holštejn (CZE) - November 20, 2022 - First ascent - Adam claims this as his hardest 9b+ and therefore the second hardest route of his life. Vasil Vasil - Sloup v Čechách (CZE) - December 4, 2013 - First ascent La Dura Dura - Oliana (ESP) - February 7, 2013 - First ascent Change - Flatanger () - October 4, 2012 - First ascent, and the world's first-ever route.
: B je to! - Vranjača (CRO) - September 28, 2023 - First ascent Wonderland - Arco (ITA) - March 2022 - First ascent. Ondra graded the route 9b/9b+ or hard 9b. Bomba - Arco (ITA) - March 2022 - First ascent The Lonely Mountain - Arco (ITA) - December 2021. Second ascent after Stefano Ghisolfi. Taurus - Býčí skála (CZE) - December 2021 - First Ascent Erebor - Arco (ITA) - November 2021 Neanderthal - Santa Linya (ESP) - February 12, 2019 Disbelief - Acephale (CAN) - July 20, 2018 - First ascent Eagle-4 - St. Léger (FRA) - February 13, 2018 - First ascent One Slap - Arco (ITA) - November 13, 2017 - First ascent Move Hard - Flatanger (NOR) - July 10, 2017 - First ascent (link-up of two neighboring routes; through first crux of Move into second crux of Silence, at the time known as Project Hard) Lapsus - Andonno (ITA) - April 20, 2017 - Second ascent Queen Line - Laghel (Arco, ITA) - April 19, 2017 - First ascent Mamichula - Oliana (ESP) - February 8, 2017 - First ascent Robin Ud - Alternativna stena () - October 5, 2016 - First ascent Stoking the Fire - Santa Linya (ESP) - February 19, 2016 - Second ascent of Chris Sharma's route C.R.S. - Mollans sur Ouvèze (FRA) - November 2, 2015 - First ascent First Round First Minute - Margalef (ESP) - February 3, 2014 - Second ascent of Chris Sharma's route Move - Flatanger (NOR) - August 20, 2013 - First ascent. Ondra graded the route "9b/9b+, or just hard 9b". Repeated on June 17, 2019 by Seb Bouin, who later on upgraded the route to 9b+. Iron Curtain - Flatanger (NOR) - August 3, 2013 - First ascent Fight or flight - Oliana (ESP) - February 9, 2013 - Second ascent of Chris Sharma's route (2011) La planta de Shiva - Villanueva del Rosario (ESP) - April 22, 2011 - First ascent Chilam Balam -Villanueva del Rosario (ESP) - April 13, 2011 - Second ascent (however Bernabe Fernandez's first ascent is not confirmed) Chaxi Raxi - Oliana (ESP) - March 27, 2011 - First ascent of Chaxi direct start La Capella - Siurana (ESP) - February 16, 2011 - First ascent Golpe de Estado - Siurana (ESP) - March 13, 2010 - Second ascent of Chris Sharma's route (2008)
: El Maquinista - Montanejos (ESP) - November 12, 2023 - First ascent Chicken Nose - Isenfluh (SUI) - November 4, 2023 - First ascent Fantazija! - Ter (SLO) - October 1, 2023 - First ascent A je to! - Vranjača (CRO) - August 31, 2023 - First ascent Bombardino - Bus de la Stria (ITA) - February 23, 2022 Trofeo dell'Adriatico - Bus de la Stria (ITA) - January 27, 2022 Furia de Jabali - Siurana (ESP) - January 19, 2022 Kout pikle - (Moravsky Kras, CZE) - December 18, 2021 - First Ascent Molekuly - (Moravsky Kras, CZE) - October 26, 2021 - First Ascent Bohemian Rhapsody - Velká (CZE) - April, 2020 - First Ascent Qui - Geisterschmiedwand (AUT) - September 19, 2019 - Second ascent Catxasa - Santa Linya (ESP) - February 10, 2019 Czech trip - Mavrovi Anovi (MKD) - October 19, 2018 - First Ascent High Line - Kanjon Tijesno (BiH) - September 25, 2018 Sacrifice - Echo Canyon (CAN) - July 23, 2018 - First ascent Stone Butterfly - Herculane (ROU) - May 15, 2018 - First ascent Underground Dreaming - Arco (ITA) - February 24, 2018 - First ascent Super Crackinette - Saint-Léger du Ventoux (FRA) - February 10, 2018 - Flash La Castagne - Saint-Léger du Ventoux (FRA) - February 2, 2018 Meiose - Charmey (CHE) - January 27, 2018 One Punch - Arco (ITA) - November 13, 2017 Naturalmente - Camaiore (ITA) - April 21, 2017 - First ascent Ultimatum - Massone (Arco, (ITA) - April 19, 2017 - third ascent Hyper Finale - Ayent, Rawyl (CHE) - July 17, 2016 120 Degrees - Flatanger (NOR) - June 19, 2016 Vicious Circle - Osp (SLO) - March 25, 2016 Predator - Bohemian Karst (CZE) - November 19, 2015 - first ascent, the hardest route in BohemiaLezec.cz: Adam - Predator 9a+ Three Degrees of Separation - Céüse (FRA) - July 27, 2015 - second ascent of Chris Sharma's route (2007) Realization - Céüse (FRA) - July 22, 2014 - tenth ascent Ini Ameriketan - Baltzola (ESP) - May 9, 2014 Hell Racer - Hell (NOR) - September 22, 2013 - first ascent Kangaroo's Limb - Flatanger (NOR) - September 21, 2013 - first ascent Torture Physique Integrale - Gastlosen (CHE) - July 7, 2013 - first ascent Power Inverter - Oliana (ESP) - January 25, 2013 - second ascent of Chris Sharma's route (2010) Thor's Hammer - Flatanger (NOR) - July 8, 2012 - first ascent (now downgraded to 9a) Jungle Boogie - Céüse (FRA) - June 7, 2012 - first ascent