Janja Garnbret and Brooke Raboutou shared tears of joy and embraced after the boulder and lead sport climbing final at the Paris Games. Garnbret, from Slovenia, solidified her position as a top star in the sport by successfully defending her Olympic title. Raboutou proudly secured the first-ever climbing Olympic medal for the U.S. women’s team.
In a thrilling finale in Le Bourget, Garnbret surpassed Raboutou on the final climb of the day to claim the gold, adding to her impressive Olympic track record. Leonardo Veddriq of Indonesia clinched the speed gold in Paris, while Toby Roberts of Great Britain captured the men’s gold in lead and boulder disciplines. Meanwhile, Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland emerged victorious with the women’s gold in speed earlier in the week.
During the Tokyo Games, boulder and lead were combined with speed, resulting in only one medal being awarded to both male and female competitors. Garnbret, an eight-time world champion, stands out not only for her remarkable climbing achievements but also for her advocacy to eliminate eating disorders from the sport.
Despite facing setbacks such as a toe injury last year that briefly sidelined her, Garnbret’s unparalleled success in international climbing competitions continues to make headlines.
