Thread by @nytimes

As climbing makes its Olympics debut at #Tokyo2020, the Czech athlete Adam Ondra enters the Games as the sport’s biggest star. He is the rare climber who can be considered the world’s most accomplished in both outdoor and competition climbing. nyti.ms/3lo8Wki

Ondra is the reigning world champion in lead climbing and the only one to win the world championship in lead and bouldering in the same year. Alex Honnold, who was featured in the documentary "Free Solo," called him "the best climber in the world." nyti.ms/3lo8Wk

Ondra has won three of the past four world championships in lead climbing.

We used motion-capture technology to explore two classic moves Ondra might have to use to navigate the Olympic lead wall: a drop knee and a ninja kick. nyti.ms/3lo8Wki

A contentious decision by Olympic organizers may make it difficult for the world’s best climber to win a medal. In Tokyo, equal weight will be given to speed climbing, a fringe event that is by far Ondra's weakest. nyti.ms/3lo8Wki

Athletes have criticized the decision to include speed climbing because speed specialists rarely competed in bouldering and lead before the Games, just as Ondra never bothered with speed. Now speed climbing will count a full third toward the gold medal. nyti.ms/3lo8Wki

Ondra has tried to shave whatever fractions of a second he can from his speed time. But he knows he has to do very well in lead climbing and bouldering if he wants to win a medal.

We deconstructed his climbing technique in videos and graphics. nyti.ms/3lo8Wki