Who are GB’s climbers going for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and when does it start?
Published 04/08/2024 at 10:23 GMT+1
Team GB has qualified a full quota of climbers for the combined boulder and lead event at the Paris Olympics, with Toby Roberts and Hamish McArthur going for the men, and Molly Thompson-Smith and Erin McNeice for the women. But with speed now a separate event, how do their chances rate in a stacked field of global superstars?
'You can never reach your limit’ – Schubert on why rock climbing is ‘most fun sport out there’
Video credit: SNTV
Climbing has had a revamp since its introduction to the Olympics back in Tokyo. Instead of a combined three discipline event, there are now two golds on offer in Paris.
One is for the speedsters, those incredible spiderman-like athletes who scale the speed wall as quickly as possible, and the other gold is for the best in a combined boulder and lead event.
It’s the latter that GB has qualified four climbers for, the full quota available. And all four are making their Olympic debut in Paris, GB’s Shauna Coxsey having retired from international competition after appearing in Tokyo.
So who are they, and what are their medal chances?
Toby Roberts
Roberts has arguably the best chance of a medal of any of the GB climbers - and speaking of medals, he is not an outsider for gold. The 19-year-old from Surrey burst onto the international scene in 2022 with his first senior world cup podium, but 2023 was where he showed his Olympic chops.
He won a boulder world cup in Brixen - despite being more of a lead specialist - before winning a lead world cup in the home of climbing, Chamonix, against a world-class field. He narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics at the earliest possible opportunity - but wrapped up his place at the European Qualifier late in 2023, with victory against some of the best in the world.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/image-c7f70d7b-681b-4aa8-a293-7362c52f1814-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Toby Roberts of Great Britain competes during the men's lead climbing semifinals of the IFSC Climbing World Championships on August 06, 2023 in Bern, Switzerland
Image credit: Getty Images
He tries harder on the wall than nearly anyone, his grit, determination and never-say-die attitude marking him out as a firm fan favourite. The likeable teenager is coached by his dad too, who is always on hand for a bear hug after any competition.
Roberts has a genuine shot at a medal and in an open men’s field, is likely to be in the battle for gold.
Hamish mcarthur
McArthur announced himself onto the world scene when he won the junior world championships back in 2021, before finishing on the podium in the Senior World Championships lead competition a month later.
Since making the jump to the seniors, McArthur has slowly worked his way up the rankings and like McNeice and Thompson-Smith, qualified for Paris earlier this year. He hasn’t competed internationally this year other than that, aiming everything at Paris.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/image-70af798f-3cb7-4fe7-adc0-03822df41fa7-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
British Hamish McArthur competes in men's final in the 2021 IFSC Climbing World Championships in Moscow, Russia on September 21, 2021.
Image credit: Getty Images
He’s another lead specialist and his bouldering might be his Achilles’ heel in Paris. Making the final would be a very decent result for the Yorkshire climber.
erin mcneice
McNeice spent much of last year still competing on the junior circuit, but has stepped up to the seniors in style. The 20-year-old finished 18th at the European Qualifiers last year, but went away over the winter, worked hard and that has more than paid off.
Come 2024 and another chance to qualify with the Olympic series in Shanghai and Budapest, McNeice finished third overall with strong performances in the bouldering and lead. In a class field, she kept her nerve and seemed shocked to find herself not just on the podium, but heading to her maiden Olympics.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/image-af892bfe-a1f7-4446-88ea-fe521dcd3e9e-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Erin McNeice of Great Britain competes during the women's boulder and lead final at the Olympic Qualifier Series on June 23, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary.
Image credit: Getty Images
McNeice has a very real chance of making the finals in Paris, having risen so quickly through the ranks, seemingly without any fear or nerves to get in her way.
molly thompson-smith
Thompson-Smith has been a regular figure on the UK climbing scene, the lead specialist recording a string of top 10 finishes in lead world cups around the world in the last couple of years to shoot up the rankings.
The 26-year-old Londoner has some impressive ascents from outside too, but has been working hard behind the scenes to improve her bouldering power - which paid off when she made it to the Olympics through the qualifier series earlier this year.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/image-80d0d437-40f4-403a-8bbc-9ff8ab29b6d5-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Molly Thompson-Smith of Great Britain competes the Women's qualification round of the Sport Climbing Boulder competition on day one of 2024 Olympic Qualifier Series Shanghai on May 16, 2024 in Shanghai, China.
Image credit: Getty Images
Thompson-Smith might not be amongst the favourites in Paris, but her lead climbing is exceptional and if she’s strong on the head wall, she has an outside chance of making the final.
who are the global stars to watch?
The women’s boulder and lead event has a clear favourite - defending champion Janja Garnbret.
The Slovenian athlete was imperious in the build up to Tokyo, sweeping all before her. In the three years since, she’s stepped back from international competitions and climbed more outside - including some famous ascents in the forest of Fontainebleau near Paris.
She’s also battled injuries, including a broken big toe - up there with finger tendon problems as one of the worst injuries a climber can have, such are the tiny foot holds the setters like to use, especially on bouldering problems.
But Garnbret has won the last four world cups she’s entered and is the world champion as well as reigning champion from Tokyo, and goes into Paris as the closest thing to a nailed on gold you can have.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/image-f7050c08-b8d0-4981-9ad5-28fb4bc689f2-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Janja Garnbret of Slovenia competes during the women's boulder finals of the IFSC World Cup Innsbruck 2024 on June 27, 2024 in Innsbruck, Austria.
Image credit: Getty Images
Ai Mori from Japan, Natalia Grossman and Brooke Rabatou (USA) are expected to fight for the medals as well, along with home favourite Oriane Bertone, making her Olympic debut in Paris.
The men’s event is much, much more open. Roberts will be up against Sorato Anraku from Japan, Jakob Schubert from Austria and home favourites Sam Avezou and Paul Jenft from France. Adam Ondra is also taking part, and defending champion from Tokyo Alberto Gines Lopez has qualified as well.
What about speed?
Speed is a separate medal in Paris, unlike in Tokyo when all three disciplines were combined. This will be the fastest gold medal of the games full stop, with the men’s world record standing at an incredible 4.79s, while the women’s is an equally mind-boggling 6.24s.
The owners of those two world records, Sam Watson (USA) and Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) are both in Paris, and are amongst the favourites for gold. Team GB didn’t qualify any climbers for the speed events.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/image-eb76752e-e707-4f05-8723-c1827bf08b9a-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
This photograph shows a general view of the climbing venue for the Olympic Games with its tree disciplines, lead climbing, speed climbing and bouldering in Le Bourget, northern Paris on May 30, 2024
Image credit: Getty Images
when does the climbing start?
Soon! The climbing gets underway at Le Bourget Climbing venue tomorrow (5th August), this being just one of two venues specifically built for the games. Here is the full schedule:
Monday 5th August:
09:00 - Men’s Boulder & Lead, Semi-final Boulder
12:00 - Women’s Speed, Qualification Heats
12:35 - Women’s Speed, Qualification Elimination
Tuesday 6th August:
09:00 - Women’s Boulder & Lead, Semi-final Boulder
12:00 - Men’s Speed, Qualification Heats
12:35 - Men’s Speed, Qualification Elimination
Wednesday 7th August:
09:00 - Men’s Boulder & Lead, Semi-final Lead
11:35 - Women’s Speed, Quarter-finals
11:46 - Women’s Speed, Semi-finals
11:54 - Women’s Speed, Final
Thursday 8th August:
09:00 - Women’s Boulder & Lead, Semi-final Lead
11:35 - Men’s Speed, Quarter-finals
11:46 - Men’s Speed, Semi-finals
11:54 - Men’s Speed, Final
Friday 9th August:
09:15 - Men’s Boulder & Lead, Final Boulder
11:35 - Men’s Boulder & Lead, Final Lead
Saturday 10th August:
09:15 - Women’s Boulder & Lead, Final Boulder
11:35 - Women’s Boulder & Lead, Final Lead
- - -
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement