SLC man Nathaniel Coleman to climb at Tokyo Olympic Games

Nathaniel Coleman representing SLC and USA. Photo: Bree Robles/USA Climbing

MEMPHIS, Tennessee. —  Nathaniel Coleman, who was born and raised in the Salt Lake City suburb of Murray, will represent the USA at this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games, the first Olympic Games to include climbing.

Climbing National Team trials were held last week in Memphis, where Coleman defended his position on both the USA Climbing National Team and the nascent Olympic Team. 

Coleman, 24, got a toe-hold in the sport while attending Murray High School with the natural rock playground practically out his backyard in the Cottonwood Canyons of the Wasatch mountains. 

“With the World Cup season right around the corner we are very excited to be able to hold this important event for selecting the athletes that will join our Olympic Team on the World Cup circuit,” said Marc Norman, USA Climbing CEO. “With strict COVID countermeasures in place including testing, format adjustments, and removing spectators from the venue to name a few, we are confident in the ability to host a safe event for athletes and the community. Finally, this event provides the final tune up for our Olympic athletes before they head out for the World Cups and then the Olympic Games later this summer.”

CEO Marc Norman is the former vice president of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, which runs the Utah Olympic Park, The Utah Olympic Oval and Soldier Hollow. Norman brought his extensive knowledge of world class sports, venues and events to USA Climbing as the national governing body (NGB) relocated to Salt Lake City from Boulder, Colorado in 2018. The NGB’s three disciplines are speed, sport and bouldering. 

The Memphis team trials allowed no spectators – therefore their live streaming provided a crucial link for family, friends, and fans from Salt Lake City and around the world. The broadcast was made that much more exciting by a two-woman sport production team that commentated for all the athletes in the entire competition.

Salt Lake City will host a Boulder World Cup on May 21 and 22, a Speed/Bouldering World Cup on May 28, 29, 30, and a Paraclimbing World Cup for October 2021.

The other sports debuting at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Summer Games are karate, surfing and skateboarding.