Sports Bulletin Report
Paris (France): Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret became a two-time Olympic Games gold medallist after winning the women’s Boulder & Lead competition despite a mid-session injury scare.
Garnbret made the top step ahead of close friend and silver medallist Brooke Raboutou of the USA and bronze medallist Jessica Pilz of Austria. Garnbret’s gold also made her the first Slovenian to win two gold medals at a summer Olympic Games.
Sitting on top of the Boulder standings at the end of the round, Garnbret went back into isolation ahead of the Lead round in some discomfort in her efforts on the fourth Boulder, as she explains: "I was really scared because my finger got stuck in between two holes (of a hold) and I couldn't get it out. So I was scared that I had fractured something, and I already fractured exactly this finger ten years ago.
With her 84.4pts from Boulder and a climb of 84.pts on Lead, Garnbret was lowered to the floor where she was visibly emotional that she had retained the title she won at Tokyo 2020.
Garnbret said: "I'm just feeling incredibly happy and proud of myself, what I did, and I'm relieved, because it's finally over. I qualified one year ago (at the IFSC World Championships Bern 2023), so it was hard to wait and to finally start the competition. I don't know if people realise how hard it is to go out there and just do it, but it wasn't easy at all, but I did it. I learned in Tokyo how to handle the pressure at the Olympics. And I could use that here, and I was just in my own world. I was just doing what I do in training, completely focused. I didn't let anything affect me. So I could just enjoy."
Raboutou said: “Being in France, being half French, and having my French family out here, and the support from the crowd, I did feel it. This was just the dream. We have an incredible friendship, where we both want each other to do our best. That's what happened today, and it feels really good to share that with somebody. To share that connection as both a friend and an idol is incredible. I look up to her so much, and I'm so grateful for the support she's given me as well.”
Pilz said: "I'm overjoyed that it worked out like that. I have to say, behind the wall (she felt pressure), clearly. But once I was on the wall, I just realised that this was my thing. I just feel comfortable on the Lead wall. I feel comfortable there and always much more excited. You don't know exactly what's coming. But in the Lead, I knew that if I climbed as easily as I did in the semi and could simply deliver my performance, then I could go far. I'm just happy that it worked out that way."
