GOLD RUSH
Team GB win 14th gold medal of Olympics 2024 after climber Toby Roberts, 19, comes first in men’s boulder and lead
There was some heart-pounding late drama before Toby snatched the gold
GOLDEN boy Toby Roberts scaled new heights to land Team GB’s first sport climbing medal at the Paris Olympics today.
The 19-year-old Surrey sensation was third after the bouldering stage of the final.
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But his incredible effort in the lead element saw him clinch gold - as the heavy favourite slipped just seconds from glory.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the event, the teen said: "I am just lost for words. To find out that I had got the gold in that moment was truly incredible.
"I have been training for this moment my whole life. To say it hasn't sunk in is an understatement.
"I imagine later it will be a flood of emotions. It is a goal I have been training towards for like 10 years."
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Roberts qualified for the final of the boulder and lead competition in second - with fellow Brit Hamish McArthur also booking his spot in the last eight.
After eight minutes of observation time, McArthur kicked off the bouldering element of the final in style, reaching the top hold of the 4.5m wall at the third attempt to score 24.8 points.
The Yorkshireman, 22, got to the second checkpoint on climbs two, three and four to finish on 53.9 points in fourth.
That was one place behind Roberts, who clambered his way to the top hold on two of the efforts and locked in 63.1 points from the bouldering to trail Japan’s runaway 17-year-old superstar Sorato Anraku and USA's Colin Duffy.
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Roberts prefers the lead discipline where climbers get six minutes to navigate their way up the 15m overhanging wall with a safety rope.
The observation time enabled the eight finalists to inspect the challenge ahead of them with binoculars and envision their routes up, chatting together to discuss their ideas.
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McArthur was up first again and did a full 360-degree turn while hanging 10m up on his way to 72 points for a total of 125.9.
He then took his seat on the stage to watch his fellow competitors, even shouting out encouragement to Duffy who came next - despite the fact that the American knocked him off provisional top spot.
Jakob Schubert’s epic lead climb earned the Austrian 96 out of the maximum 100 points and pushed McArthur down to bronze with four climbers still to go.
When Roberts clipped in to begin his climb, he knew he was six minutes away from guaranteeing himself a medal.
The two-time and reigning lead world champion dangled, swung and clambered his way up to the 60-point marker - hanging on one arm at one point - and as he passed two further holds, he secured himself at least bronze and then at least silver.
His score of 92.1 on the lead climb gave him a total score of 155.2 - in the process knocking McArthur out of the medals - before Anraku took to the wall to go for gold.
It looked like the Japanese climber was going to do it with no mistake, checking off the white, yellow and black holds to make his way to the top blue section right at the top.
But needing just 9.9 more points for gold, Anraku lost his grip and fell - tumbling down to score 76.1 on the lead and 145.4 overall as Roberts snatched gold.
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And SunSport were next to Roberts when he caught up with his parents after going through the mixed zone.
"What have you done to us, you crazy boy?!" asked mum Marina.
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What's happening today at The Games?
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY
TODAY'S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Katarina Johnson-Thompson will go for her first Olympic medal as the heptathlon concludes with the 800m (7.25pm).
Toby Roberts has a great chance of a podium finish in the men’s boulder and lead sport climbing final (9.15am).
Jack Carlin could grab a medal in the men’s sprint in the velodrome, too (5pm).
BRITS TO WATCH
Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe go in the artistic swimming, starting with their duet technical routine (6.30pm).
An early start for 10km marathon swimmers Tobias Patrick Robinson and Hector Pardoe (6.30am).
Amber Anning is in the women’s 400m final on the track (7pm) while Yasmin Harper and Grace Reid go in the 3m springboard diving final (2pm).
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
There is a blockbuster men’s football final as Spain take on Thierry Henry’s France at PSG’s Parc des Princes (5pm).
The 4x100m relay finals will be stacked full of the best sprinters in the world - including Americans Sha'carri Richardson and Christian Coleman (6.30pm).
Imane Khelif goes for boxing gold in the 66kg final against Yang Liu of China (9.50pm).
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The modern pentathlon is the very definition of something different with a superb, eclectic and chaotic collection of event.
The activities include show jumping, fencing, a 200m swim and a laser run, where athletes combine a run with shooting.
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Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
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