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USD Sophomore Is First American Climber to Qualify for 2020 Olympic Games

The 18-year-old has been climbing since she could walk and has been competing at a high level since she was just 7 years old

University of San Diego sophomore Brooke Raboutou is the first ever American climber to qualify for the Olympics.

Raboutou, who is fittingly from Boulder, Colorado, finished ninth in the combined qualification round at the IFSC Climbing World Championships in Hachioji, Japan to punch her ticket to the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. The event features a speed round and lead and bouldering.

The 18-year-old has been climbing since she could walk and has been competing at a high level since she was just 7 years old. At 11, Raboutou became the youngest person in the world to climb a 5.14b which is a climb dedicated for elite athletes with years of experience.

The International Olympic Committee announced they would add sport climbing as a medal sport in the 2020 Summer Olympics in 2016. The committee combine three disciplines -- Speed Climbing, Lead Climbing and Bouldering to the games.

The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics kick off July 24 on NBC 7.

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