Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE: sport climbing day 2, Women's Boulder & Men's Speed

14:29
Tomorrow the action continues at 10:00 with the men's Lead, followed by the women's Speed Final. Our live reporting ends  here and resumes tomorrow morning, in the meantime, hope you enjoyed it and thanks for having been here with us!

14:15
Speed was a continuous series of upsets, surprises and confirmations, with the last, extra-special clash between Tkach Yaroslav and Mawem Bassa ending an epic day in Paris. In front of his home crowd the Frenchman produced the race of a lifetime, winning by just one hundredth of a second and, at the age of 39, setting his personal best. 5.16 sees him through to the finals and the 7000-strong crowd exploded in delirious delight. They'll be back to see him, and all the other finalists including fastest loser Shenazandifard, on Thursday.

13:59
The clash between Reza Alipour Shenazandifard and David Julian is another mind-blowing head-to-head. The Iranian loses by just 6 hundredths of a second against the New Zealander who, ten years younger, bows in respect at the base of the wall.

13:50
Sam Watson raises the bar and breaks the world record once again, stopping the clock after an amazing 4.75! As soon as he reaches the ground he hugs his teammate Zach Hammer, what a beautiful, magical moment. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Olympics!



13:30
Leonardo Veddriq breaks the world record during the seeding phase, by a few hundredths of a second proving that the Paris wall is faster than ever. The seeding is now complete and  four athletes broke the 5 second barrier! Now it's time for the elimination heat that determines the 8 finalists. Seven come from the direct elimniation, plus one place for the fastest loser.

13:00 SPEED CLIMBING SEEDING
Speed climbing has begun with the seeding run, fundamental for the qualifications at 13:35. It's worth remembering that the Olympics have a slightly different comp format in this phase compared to World Cup events. All 14 athletes make two runs, and as normal, the first phase is based purely on time. This ranking is used to determine the  elimination racing; the fastest competes against the slowest, etc. The seven winners of these knock-out clashes qualify for the final, plus the ‘fastest loser’.

12:29
What an amazing first taste of Olympic climbing this morning, full of twists and turns. First place though goes to the GOAT Janja Garnbret, the only athlete capable of sending all four problems. Hot on her heels Oriane Bertone follows in second place, after sending 3 problems and 2 zones much to the delight of the delirious crowd. Third place goes to Brooke Raboutou, 3 problems and 2 zones but separated by attempts. The other athlete to send 3 blocs was, much to everyone's surprise, Oceania Mackenzie. What a performance she put in today, delivering just when it really counts!

After a short break we'll be back at 1:00 pm for the start of the the men's speed. Yesterday the wall proved to be fast with Aleksandra Mirosław setting a new world record. Many male athletes are now capable of running sub 5 seconds and, who knows, perhaps the records will tumble once again. 

So here are the standings after day 1:

12:17 GARNBRET TOPS BOULDER #4
Garnbret, the last athlete out, ends the competition with a top that is a masterclass in dealing with pressure. After falling several times on the slab, there where others had struggled far less, she suddenly changes the sequence completely and with a touch of magic climbs to the top. 4 out of 4. Many felt the competition pressure today and it's worth remembering that the Slovenian has the added weight of expectations and "having to be perfect". And today the queen of climbing dealt with all this regally.

12:07 GARNBRET & RABOUTOU TOPS
Garnbret continues her comp with another top, a small mistake at the start on #3block ruins her chance of gaining those mythical 100 points, but seconds later she climbs with impressive ease. Raboutou instead ends her comp by topping #4. She needed a few attempts more than the others, but the important thing is sealing those points. Perhaps she felt the pressure here today more than the others. Having said that, she walks off the mattress with her usual wave and smile. What a legend.

12:00 PILZ TOPS BOULDER #4
After a good performance on boulder #2, Mori fails on #3, her anti-style. Pilz finishes her comp: a few tries to mechanize the lower section on #4, then she perfectly coordinates the dyno to reach the top. Provisional fourth.

11:59
Natalia Grossman now ends her comp, a few too many mistakes for the young American, but she's certainly on form and knows she can do better. Two tops and two second zones place her provisional third.

11:57 GARNBRET TOPS BOULDER #2
Janja Garnbret continues her comp with another stunning flash. The "perfect score" of 100 points seems more and more likely.

11:55
The wall begins to empty as we get closer to end of this first round. First place, as we guessed before, could well be taken by all four tops. But will the poker be aces? Pilz in the meantime finally manages to redeem herself, sending #3. Hopefully she'll surprise us on #4, that heinous, technical slab.

11.45
The best in the world, all on the mats: Raboutou needs two attempts to send #2, teammate Grossmann doesn't find the right balance reach the top of #3. Bertone now ends her run in provisional first, 3 problems and a zone on problem #4 and a total score of 84.5 points.

11:42 GARNBRET TOPS BOULDER #1
Janja Garnbret now enters the arena to defend her title won in Tokyo 2020. The crowd goes wild. And she immediately starts her run with an extraordinary flash on boulder #1. Complete control! The queen, the GOAT, is in Paris and on fire!

11:40
Pilz fights on boulder #2, she wants to make amends for failing on #1, but unfortunately she doesn't find the right position to hold the dyno. Nonaka struggles on the boulder #3.

11:35 TOPS GALORE
Grossman flashes #2, she's the first athlete to do so! Bertone also walzes up #3, flash, bien sûr! Meanwhile Brooke Raboutou struggles on #1, needs more attempts than we would have expected from her, but on he sixth go she confirms that she's up with the best.

11:30
It's all go now. Jessica Pilz, the only Austrian competing today, struggles on problem #1. Nonaka sends #2 third go; this one was her style and it would have been a disaster had she failed here. Mackenzie finishes her run by sending three out of four problems. Provisional first with 79.6 points. She can be extremely satisfied with her performance today

11:25 BERTONE TOPS BOULDER #2
Natalia Grossman enters the arena but fails to send the first boulder. She's certainly on form but but perhaps still needs to find the right concentration to perform to the max. Oriane, after a long rest between one attempt and the next, sticks the final dyno and sends boulder #2. It goes without saying that all French eyes are on her!

11:19 TOPS GALORE, MACKENZIE PROVISIONAL FIRST
Miho Nonaka means business, too, and after a rushed attempt on #1 she seals the deal second go. Chaehyun Seo sends #2 to put herself back into the running, while Mackenzie confirms her amazing run of form and sends #3. She's now provisional first, and still has one boulder to go!

11:15 LUO TOPS BOULDER #4
Zhilu Luo finishes her comp in provisional second place after a great battle on #4, sent with a class act after 5 attempts.

11:13 BERTONE TOPS BOULDER #1
The delirious crowd welcomes the home athlete Oriane Bertoner! The Frenchwoman proves she's on form almost sending boulder #1, the problem that separates the best from the rest. After resting for an eternity - what nerves of steel - she manages to send it second go!

11:09
A prediction? Given how the boulders have been set, the best athlete today will flash them all...

11:07 MACKENZIE TOPS BOULDER #2
The Australian is amazing. After an excellent first attempt, she also sends boulder #2. Second go, two out of two!

11:01
The first Slovenian in the comp, Mia Krampl, returns to the Olympic scene but fails to make any headway on problem #1. Let's hope she can regain concentration and gain points on the next problems.

10:58 TOP MACKENZIE BOULDER #1
Oceania Mackenzie stuns everyone on the boulder #1, flashing it without a moment of hesitation! After 1 hour of competition she's the first to send this problem, and she does so flash! What a start for the amazing Australian!

10:53 TOP CAMILLA MORONI BOULDER #4 
With less than 10 seconds to spare, Camilla Moroni produces the impossibile and sends the slab #4. A splendid, important top on the previously unclimbed problems

10:52 TOP ZHILU BOULDER #2
The second Englishwoman in the competition, Molly Thompson-Smith, now enters the arena and tries her luck on problem #1, unfortunately to no avail China's Lou Zhilu literally walks up problem #2, sending it on her second attempt in less than a minute.

10:48 TOP AVEZOU BOULDER #2
Zélia Avezou enters the arena and the crowd gives the home favourite a huge applause! Italy's Laura Rogora is out, too, her second Olympics after Tokyo 2020. There's no time to think, Avezou tops out on #2 on her third attempt! Paris goes insane.

10:42
McNiece finishes her comp, her amazing comp! It's a shame she couldn't unlock problem #4, a slab that requires both balance and nerves of steel. 2 tops and 2 first zones flash put her in provisional first place. She can be happy with what she's done today!

10:38
Compared to yesterday, the competition this morning seems much easier. And we reckon that to get a good score, the athletes will need at least 3 tops. While waiting for the best of the best to come out, the comp in now well and truly in full swing.

10:31 MORONI TOPS BOULDER #2!
Camilla Moroni feel the pressure, falls spectacularly off what should be her boulder. The sets the record straight and sends it!

10:30 TOP MCNEICE BOULDER #3!
The English athlete reminds everyone she's in Paris for business and, with a stroke of genius, sends problem #2 second go.

10:26
Ievgeniia Kazbekova also begins her Olympics, after having dreamed so much of taking part in Tokyo, she really gave everything to qualify for this edition of Paris. And given what the Ukrainian has gone through in recent times, just being here is a victory.

10:20 TOP MCNEICE #2!
McNeice on #2 holds an enormous swing but falls going for the top. But she knows it's in her grasp. Seconds later she's back on, controls the swing, matches, top! The first of this women's competition!

10:18
Camilla Moroni now enters the arena and begins her Olympic experience by flashing the zone, but fails on the powerful upper section.

10:16
Now Lucia Dörffel enters the field. She starts off well on the first problem which, like yesterday, is a pure power test. She flashes the first zone! 5 points for her.

10:08
Second out is this season's biggest surprise, Erin McNeice. The Brit didn't come here just to compete but is also after a medal. And she's proved it with a powerful start, gaining 5 points straight off.

10:05
The Women's Olympic journey begins South Africa's Lauren Mukheibir, who shortly before Paris stated that she had never loved sport climbing as much as she does now. Her start isn't easy though. Like yesterday, the starting order in is the opposite of the world ranking. 7000 spectators cheer her on below the brilliant sunshine. It's gonna be a great day!

9:50
Yesterday the sport climbing competitions got off to a blistering start in front of the 7000-strong crowd. In the morning, the extremely difficult, low-scoring Men's Boulder semifinal took place which provided some fantastic tops. This was followed in the early afternoon by the Women's Speed qualifications. Now it's finally time for the Women's Boulder, expectations are sky high!

7:50
After an action-packed first day yesterday, sport climbing continues today at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Action kicks off at 10.00am with Women's Boulder & Lead semi-final. Join planetmountain for the latest sport climbing news from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Our reporting will begin shortly before 10:00. The athletes competing today are:

WOMEN'S BOULDER & LEAD
Janja Garnbret (SLO) - 1. World Championships Bern 2023
Jessica Pilz (AUT) - 2. World Championships Bern 2023
Ai Mori (JPN) - 3. World Championships Bern 2023
Oriane Bertone (FRA) - 1. European Qualifier Laval 2023
Natalia Grossman (USA) - 1. Pan American Games Santiago 2023
Yuetong Zhang (CHN) - 1. Asian Qualifier Jakarta 2023
Oceania Mackenzie (AUS) - 1. Oceania Qualifier Melbourne 2023
Lauren Mukheibir (RSA) - 1. African Qualifier Pretoria 2023
Brooke Raboutou (USA) - 1. Olympic Qualifier Series
Miho Nonaka (JPN) - 2. Olympic Qualifier Series
Erin McNeice (GBR) - 3. Olympic Qualifier Series
Chaehyun Seo (KOR) - 4. Olympic Qualifier Series
Zhilu Luo (CHN) - 5. Olympic Qualifier Series
Ievgeniia Kazbekova (UKR) - 6. Olympic Qualifier Series
Mia Krampl (SLO) - 8. Olympic Qualifier Series
Lucia Dörffel (GER) - 9. Olympic Qualifier Series
Zélia Avezou (FRA) - 10. Olympic Qualifier Series
Camilla Moroni (ITA) - 11. Olympic Qualifier Series
Laura Rogora (ITA) - 12. Olympic Qualifier Series
Molly Thompson-Smith (GBR) - 13. Olympic Qualifier Series

MEN'S SPEED
Matteo Zurloni (ITA) - 1. World Championships Bern 2023
Jinbao Long (CHN) - 2. World Championships Bern 2023
Bassa Mawem (FRA) - 1. European Qualifier Rome 2023
Samuel Watson (USA) - 1. Pan American Games Santiago 2023
Rahmad Adi Mulyono (INA) - 1. Asian Qualifier Jakarta 2023
Julian David (NZL) - 1. Oceania Qualifier Melbourne 2023
Joshua Bruyns (RSA) - African Qualifier Pretoria 2023
Peng Wu (CHN) - 1. Olympic Qualifier Series
Veddriq Leonardo (INA) - 2. Olympic Qualifier Series
Amir Maimuratov (KAZ) - 3. Olympic Qualifier Series
Zachary Hammer (USA) - 6. Olympic Qualifier Series
Reza Alipour Shenazandifard (IRI) - 7. Olympic Qualifier Series
Yaroslav Tkach (UKR) - 8. Olympic Qualifier Series
Euncheol Shin (KOR) - 11. Olympic Qualifier Series