The Foro Italico, located next to the Stadio Olimpico, in the 1960 Summer Games host city has been selected for the event.

The Speed European Qualifier is set to be the first of five continental events organised by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC).

These will see the highest-ranked eligible male and female climber at each one obtain a quota place, while respecting a two-member limit for their National Olympic Committee.

It is due to take place just over a month after the IFSC World Championships, which finished on Saturday (August 12) in Bern.

The men's field of contenders will include Bassa Mawem and Pierre Rebreyend of France, Zurloni’s teammate Ludovico Fossali, Marcin Dzienski of Poland, and Erik Noya Cardona of Spain.

The current world record holder in the women's event, Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland, will headline the group of female specialists competing for the Olympic quota.

Twin sisters Aleksandra and Natalia Kalucka, also representing Poland, will also be looking to qualify while home favourites Beatrice Colli and Giulia Randi will have the support of the Roman crowd.

The IFSC Speed European Qualifier in Rome will be free to attend for spectators with it expected to run from 2pm to 8pm local time.

At Bern 2023, four climbers made history by becoming the first athletes ever to qualify for men's and women's speed climbing Olympic events.  

The quartet was made up of China's Long Jinbao, Italian Matteo Zurloni, Indonesia's Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi, and Emma Hunt of the United States.

The qualifying process for sport climbing's Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as just the Pan American Championships were held before major restrictions were introduced.

As a result, the highest ranked athletes from each continent who had not received an Olympic invitation advanced.

The boulder and lead European qualifier for Paris 2024 is set to take place in Laval in France from October 27 to 29.