Climbing
Climbing star Jain Kim is pushing for greatness
South Korean climber Jain Kim is still going strong after 20 years of competing – and now she has her sights set on achieving glory on the biggest stage in Paris.
Known for her poised climbing style, Jain Kim has been a crowd favourite in her home nation of South Korea since the early 2010s.
At the age of 35, Kim is probably the wisest competitor on the scene right now. But she also knows how to get the better of opponents who are much younger than her – a skill she proved once again in 2023, when she won her 30th World Cup title.
Now, with more than 60 medals and countless podium triumphs to her name, she’s one of the big names to beat in her sport – and she’s not done yet. Get to know her story right here…
01
The beginning
Born to mountaineer parents, Kim’s climbing skills started to grab her parents’ attention as a 12-year-old. “Back then, I was actually interested in singing," she says. "When I was in elementary school, I was really into piano and vocal music, so I was in the city choir. But my brothers were already [climbing] athletes, so my parents didn’t really pay attention to me, and they were more occupied with my brothers going to competitions.”
Kim has enjoyed success on the world stage for many years
© Jason Halayko/Red Bull Content Pool
“So, I thought, ‘Well, I should try climbing too.’ I was jealous of my brothers taking planes to go to overseas competitions as a little girl. I think that’s why I started climbing.”
All three siblings (Kim and her two elder brothers) became pro-competitors, much to her parents' astonishment. It wasn't until high school – when her coach rekindled her “joy for climbing” – that her passion began. “Before that, I was just training really hard," she explains. "But I think the coach taught me to enjoy climbing a little bit more.”
She’s been training with her brothers since 2007. Training with her brothers actually helped her surpass them in the sport. “Because of my personality, I didn't want to train differently than my brothers because I'm a girl," she admits. "I tried to train at the same intensity as my brothers – I think that helped me grow in climbing.”
Kim is a perfectionist, even in her studies, and her introverted and observant personality traits have contributed to her status as a champion of climbing.
02
Rise of the graceful climber
Kim kicked off her World Cup career at the age of 15 in 2004, and she had secured her first gold medal by 2009. Since then, she's been on a medal-winning spree, with a whopping 61 medals in total – 30 golds, 14 silvers and 17 bronzes. Her precise movements have set her apart in the climbing world, sparking discussions, research and a legion of fans.
Kim is known for her grace and poise when climbing
© Marco Kost/Getty Images
Her competitive journey hit a high point in 2014, when she onsighted all routes at the Lead Climbing Championships. “I won the World Championships in 2014 and actually before I won, I had won three silver medals," she says. "So, I wanted to win a gold so badly and then I won a gold in 2014. Another thing that was just as amazing as winning gold was winning in the qualifier, semi-final and final, all of those routes. I think that was the most memorable moment for me.”
She uses her mental strength and gratitude to cope with any kind of stress. “Since I was little, I’ve been a dogged kid; I think I've been able to put up with difficulty,” says Kim. “When I go into a competition and I'm having a hard time emotionally or I'm anxious or something like that, I think to myself that this is actually a precious moment that will never come again, so I engage with a grateful heart."
Missing out on Tokyo was emotionally tough, but she overcame the setback through gratitude and family support. “I'm just so grateful that I get to have this experience and do what I love to do, so I think that's what helps me get through it a little bit,” she says. “And I have a family that's always been supportive of me even if I don't have much more success as an athlete, so I take a lot of comfort in that.”
Kim is juggling life as a mom and an athlete
© Marco Kost/Getty Images
It was hard right after giving birth, but I worked out really hard and my physical condition has improved since then
During these challenging times, she discovered happiness through her pregnancy. “I thought it was a God-sent opportunity given to me,” she says.
Then she retired – or so some people thought.
03
Being a mother and an athlete
In March 2021, she welcomed her daughter, Gyu-ah. “I don't think I've noticed much of a difference in my physical condition because I gave birth,” she says. “In fact, it’s more because of age that you feel different. Of course, it was hard right after giving birth, but I worked out really hard and my physical condition has improved since then.”
Not only did it take her over two years to fully recover, but having a child has shifted her perspective on the sport. “There’s now something more important in my life than climbing,” explains Kim. “So, I think there's more of a sense of responsibility if you will."
"Many people ask me why I decided to return to being an athlete after giving birth," she says. "My answer is simple. I don't want to say, 'I retired because I gave birth to you,' when my daughter asks me why I retired when she gets a little older. I don't want childbirth and my daughter to be the reasons for my retirement. I want to be a proud mother to my precious, one-of-a-kind treasure."
I had always wanted to be on the Olympic stage as an athlete so that's why I'm challenging myself right now
Her life right now revolves around child-caring, which she calls “the hardest job in the world.” She explains: “I thought I was very fit, but it turns out that parenting fitness is completely different from athletic fitness. The difficulty for an athlete is that after hard training, when I go home, I can't rest. That's the hardest thing for me. Taking care of a child is really challenging but at the same time I think those moments are so precious and I'm so happy.”
So Kim aimed to be a symbol of determination for her daughter and started competing once again.
04
Comeback
Kim has enjoyed success in 2023 and is always a threat at World Cup events
© Marco Kost/Getty Images
“I was actually thinking of retiring after Tokyo and then I had a baby and I never thought that I would actually be able to try again and come all the way here," reveals Kim.
Fast forward to 2023 and Kim made a triumphant comeback to grab her 30th World Cup gold medal. This victory made her the oldest female to secure gold at World Cup level. What makes this feat remarkable is that it marks over two decades of an illustrious athletic career.
Her relationship with climbing has deepened over the years: “When I was younger, rather than because it was fun to climb, I think I climbed because I wanted to be good at it and I wanted to be praised by people around me. I enjoyed being complimented. But now I think I have a deeper feeling for climbing than when I was younger.”
On her improvement as a climber she reflects: “Of course, I want to do better. But I think what’s more important to me is not the results that I get out of being an athlete, but the happiness that comes from continuing this career as an athlete and continuing to challenge myself.”
Kim doesn't really feel intimidated by taking on her biggest rivals, but the rapidly changing trends in the sport do challenge her. “It's hard to keep up with the trends of the course style, so that’s the challenging part," she says. "But it’s not because of physical strength or confidence.”
Kim hopes to compete at the Games in Paris
© Manuel Blondeau/Icon Sport/Getty Images
05
Climbing and family
As the Korean song by Yoon Mirae goes, ‘Music comforts me when the world is difficult,’ climbing is Kim’s solace; she has dedicated her life to it. And here’s a secret: listening to this song is her pre-competition routine.
Her name also resembles her climbing passion: “My dad gave me the name and it's a combination of a climbing rope called a jail. He named me Jain after the Ja in jail and the In from Insu-bong peak on Mt Bukhan.”
Kim doesn't have many hobbies, but she enjoys the occasional run and savouring delicious meals when time permits. She enjoys starting her days by tending to her daughter, taking her to daycare before hitting the gym and then spending time with Gyu-ah in the late evenings. This busy routine also includes a one-meal-a-day diet.
She attributes her career longevity to her family's unwavering support that keeps her “continuing to climb.” She's also supported by her husband, saying “He’s always there for me when I'm going through emotional struggles and helps me get through it really well.”
Kim keeps a close eye on the competition at the IFSC World Championships
© Marco Kost/Getty Images
06
Retirement
Kim wants to be remembered as an athlete who promoted climbing as a fascinating sport. Her advice is “to value the process rather than the result.”
When it does come to her retirement, she hopes to expand her newly established climbing gym, Rockland, for the younger generation. But her focus now is on preparing for the 2024 Games and retiring after that. “I'm not that young and I think I've actually accomplished everything that I wanted to accomplish as an athlete," she says. "It’s just that I had always wanted to be on the Olympic stage as an athlete so that's why I'm challenging myself right now.”
“The [Games] have been my long-standing dream. Whether the end of this dream turns out to be a failure or a success, I want to run all the way to the end of that path without ever giving up."