Teenage sport climber Toby Roberts captured Great Britain’s 14th gold of the Paris 2024 Olympics by clinching victory in the men’s boulder and lead competition.
At just 19 years old, Roberts earned a total of 155.2 points, surpassing the favored Sorato Anraku of Japan, who lost his grip and fell, finishing with 86 points on the lead wall.
Austria’s Jakob Schubert secured the bronze medal, with fellow Brit Hamish McArthur finishing in fifth place.
Known as ‘The Terminator’ for his tenacity, Roberts expressed his disbelief, stating, “I’m just absolutely lost for words. Finding out I got the gold was truly incredible.”
“This has been a goal I’ve worked towards for over a decade. I don’t really know what to think right now; I imagine the emotions will flood in later,” he added.
In related news, England’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson narrowly missed out on Olympic gold in the women’s heptathlon, earning silver for her first Olympic medal at the Stade de France. Trailing Belgian champion Nafissatou Thiam by 121 points before the final 800m, Johnson-Thompson’s personal best time of 2:04.90 was not enough to secure victory, finishing 36 points behind Thiam, who successfully defended her title.
In the women’s Madison, British cyclists Elinor Barker and Neah Evans earned a commendable silver medal after a fierce battle against the reigning champions. Italy’s Chiara Consonni and Vittoria Guazzini clinched gold, while Barker’s late push in the final sprint ensured they finished strong.
Meanwhile, Team GB secured yet another podium finish in the women’s 4x100m relay, winning silver with a time of 41.78 seconds, despite a challenging handover that could have cost them gold. Dina Asher-Smith remarked on the team’s effort, highlighting their commitment and history in the relay.
Jack Carlin added to Britain’s medal tally by earning bronze in the individual sprint after a dramatic race ended in a restart due to a collision with Dutchman Jeffrey Hoogland.
In diving, Great Britain’s Yasmin Harper finished fifth in the women’s 3m springboard event as China continued their dominance, claiming their seventh gold medal in diving at these Games.
The excitement continues in the waters as Great Britain’s Hector Pardoe came sixth in the men’s 10km open water swimming event, narrowly edging out France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier in a close finish. Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky captured gold in the event, demonstrating the competitive spirit of the Games.
