Jakarta – Indonesian speed climbing athlete and Paris 2024 Olympic gold medalist, Veddriq Leonardo, has officially been named Athlete of the Year 2024 at The World Games Award 2024, organized by The International World Games Association (IWGA). This was officially announced by IWGA through a release on its official website, theworldgames.org.
Veddriq secured his selection after receiving 77,045 votes in a voting process that took place in two sessions, from January 9-22, 2025, and January 22-31, 2025. His vote count was unmatched by his competitors, including Estonian Flying Disc athlete Kristin Latt, who received 51,338 votes, and Chinese Wushu athlete Xin Tong, who came in third with 26,181 votes.

Veddriq Expresses Gratitude to Indonesians and Shares Hope for Sport Climbing

Veddriq Leonardo personally shared his achievement through a video on his social media. He expressed his gratitude to the Indonesian people, especially fellow athletes, coaches, sports and social media enthusiasts, the Indonesian Climbing Federation, and the international climbing federation, who supported him by voting during both sessions.

“I want to thank all Indonesians, especially my fellow athletes, coaches, sports enthusiasts, social media activists, organizations, communities, the Indonesian Climbing Federation, and the IFSC. Thanks to your support and votes, I was nominated and chosen as Athlete of the Year 2024 at The World Games Award 2024,” he said.
Beyond his gratitude, he also expressed hope that his award would bring pride to the climbing community and positively impact the sport both in Indonesia and internationally.

“I hope this achievement brings pride and positive impact to sport climbing in Indonesia and on the international stage. Thank you, everyone,” he concluded.

FPTI Chairman Expresses Pride and Gratitude for Public Support for Veddriq Leonardo

Additionally, the President of the Indonesian Climbing Federation (FPTI), Yenny Wahid, expressed pride in Veddriq Leonardo’s achievement.
“Alhamdulillah, we are very proud and grateful for Veddriq Leonardo’s outstanding achievement in being named The World Games Athlete of the Year 2024. This award is proof that hard work, dedication, and perseverance always yield results,” Yenny stated.

She also highly appreciated the overwhelming support from the public during both voting sessions. According to her, this victory was a result of unity and the strong spirit of togetherness that defines Indonesia.
“We would also like to extend our highest appreciation to all Indonesians who provided extraordinary support throughout the two voting sessions from January 9 to January 31, 2024. This victory is a result of the collective spirit and unwavering support from the entire nation,” she added.

Veddriq Becomes the Third Sport Climber to Win IWGA’s Athlete of the Year in Climbing History

Veddriq’s selection as Athlete of the Year adds to the growing list of sport climbers who have won the prestigious award. According to the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), two sport climbers had previously received this honor.
The first was Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic, who won the award in 2014. The second was Reza Alipour from Iran, who claimed the title in 2017. Now, Veddriq becomes the third sport climber to earn the award in 2024.

IFSC Applauds Veddriq Leonardo’s Achievement

On the IFSC website, the President of the International Federation of Sport Climbing, Marco Scolaris, also praised Veddriq’s remarkable achievement. He emphasized how special this award is since it is decided directly by public votes, reflecting global recognition of Veddriq’s accomplishments.

“Winning an award like this is truly special because it is chosen directly by the public, recognizing Veddriq for his extraordinary achievements,” he said.

Additionally, he highlighted Veddriq’s historic achievement as the first Indonesian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in sport climbing, a feat previously only accomplished in badminton.
“Before Veddriq, Indonesia had only ever won Olympic gold medals in badminton. As the world’s fourth-largest country by population, Indonesia is investing in becoming a sports powerhouse like other major nations, and we are honored to be part of this journey. If you look at the reception Veddriq has received in Indonesia, he has made many people proud,” he concluded.