France, April 10 -- France's two-time world obstacle course champion Anouk Garnier roped her way 110m up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday, laying down a new world record and sending out a strong symbol of sporting achievement in the run-up to the Paris Games.

Garnier spent more than a year preparing to climb Paris's "iron lady" but it took her just18 minutes to reach the second floor - 110m above the ground.

A climb that could would give most common mortals vertigo, but Garnier said she didn't suffer too much.

"I'm very focused on what I have to do, where I put my feet, I release a bit of tension in my arms, I take little breaks to relax. At that stage, I don't feel dizzy," she told BFM television.

The moment when ...