Janja Garnbret Climbs Bibliographie, First Woman
Climbers and endurance-sport readers can see how a first-of-its-kind ascent reflects years of sustained training.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Cycling
Slovenian climber Janja Garnbret became the first woman to climb Bibliographie, a 115-foot route on a limestone cliff in Céüse, France, on June 6. Five people had previously completed the climb, all of them men.
Why it matters
The ascent marks a milestone in women's climbing at the highest difficulty level, extending a route that had only been completed by men before. It also comes as climbing's Olympic format shifts, with separate medal sets for each discipline at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The milestone is documented by Bibliographie's route record, which shows Garnbret as the first woman to complete the climb after five male ascents. Her result is a single completed ascent, verified through the route's established climbing history rather than a controlled study.
The players
Janja Garnbret
Slovenian sport climber who has won the combined event at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics and the 2025 world titles in boulder and lead.
The details
Bibliographie is a 9b+ climbing grade route, among the most demanding categories in sport climbing, requiring sustained strength, precision, and endurance on overhanging limestone. Garnbret completed it over 21 sessions spread across two years, working through the sequence in pieces rather than in a single attempt. Her climbing background began at age 7 on trees, closets, and doors, and she has competed internationally in boulder and lead since age 14.
Timeline
June 6: Garnbret becomes the first woman to climb Bibliographie.
2026: Garnbret wins three of five World Series starts.
2028: Los Angeles Olympics, where Garnbret targets two gold medals.
Sport Climbing Landscape
Sport climbing's Olympic debut at Tokyo used a single combined competition, which was later split at Paris into a boulder-and-lead combined event and a speed-only event. The 2028 Los Angeles Games will award a separate set of medals for each of the three disciplines, a structure that changes how athletes plan their training across specialties.
For readers who climb or train for endurance sports, the ascent illustrates how progressive, multi-session work on a demanding route builds strength and technique over time. Anyone considering climbing as a fitness activity can start with supervised instruction and build gradually.
The takeaway
Sustained, incremental training across many sessions can produce results on the most demanding physical challenges, as Garnbret's two-year Bibliographie climb shows. Readers interested in starting climbing should consider a supervised introductory class and discuss any new training plan with their physician.
Further reading
For more on endurance sport and athlete training, see Cycling.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Sports.
