Toby Roberts wins Gold! Combined Boulder & Lead Olympic Champion at Paris 2024

Toby Roberts wins gold in Paris, dominating the men's competition in front of the 7000-strong crowd. His face is a mix of incredulity and sheepish joy. Favourite for the win Sorato Anraku is forced to settle for silver. Jakob Schubert confirms his perpetual class and ends the Olympics with a fantastic bronze, just like in Tokyo four years ago!

Our live ends here today, see you tomorrow morning at 10:15 for the last chapter in this Olympic adventure in Paris with the last medal up for grabs, the women's Boulder & Lead Combined. Well, what can we say? What a day of excitement, a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Tomorrow promises to be just as great!

13:30
Sorato Anraku, last man out in the Combined Boulder & Lead Paris 2024 Olympics. He starts well, just needs to keep his cool to confirm his position as leader. He climbs easily, has time to think and chalk up on the holds. But then he gets into trouble halfway up the wall, wastes some energy fundamental for the headwall. Up high he falls, just one hold from the overall victory. His score of 155.2 isn't enough for first ! Silver for Anraku! Gold for Roberts! Bronze for Schubert!

13:22
Toby Roberts... we haven't taken our eyes off him during the entire competition, he's had a special smile, grit and determination ever since round 1 and he's no different now. He climbs confidently while the crowd cheers him on relentlessly, they want him at the top! He climbs quickly through the first section, is up on the final blue volumes. The crowd goes wild. He's got a medal! Gold? Silver? We'll find out soon, it all depends on Anraku. 155.2 his final result.

13:15
Adam Ondra probably knows he's out of the running, even for him a top won't be enough for a medal. He enters the arena ready for a fight and fun, the other day he said he's in the shape of his life and he wants to prove it here. He climbs confidently, always and everywhere, kneebars on one of the last holds, then falls going for the top. Same 96 score as Schubert on the route, but a total of 120.1 points. Another standing ovation. He thanks the audience, while a bit of sadness is clearly visibile. The dream is over.

13:05
Alberto Ginés López doesn't know it, but unfortunately even before setting off he doesn't stand a medal chance. After his disappointing performance in Boulder this morning, even a top and a maximum score won't be enough in the ranking. The Tokyo Olympic champion is forced to abdicate, but not before giving everything he has. VAMOS Alberto! This morning's poor performance proved costly and he ends with 116.2 points.

12:59
Jakob Schubert now begins the last chapter of his Olympics, but after this morning's bouldering session nothing but a top on this route will give him a chance of a medal. His cheekbone is cut after a clash with a volume, the skin on his fingers is trashed and the pressure is intense. But he knuckles down,  as this climbing machine always does, and powers almost to perfection. He ends his comp with a desperate dyno... to the top hold. The legend, the man who started international comps precisely two decades ago, can be happy with this performance as he ends with 139.6 points! Provisional first!

12:53
Paul Jenft, the home athlete, drives the crowd crazy. He'll need a miracle here today though. He fights, jams his knees, heelhooks, takes some risks as the pump begins to show. He can't clip a quickdraw and decides to move on, in a desperate attempt to gain more holds. And points. In the end he falls, 78.4 points on the scoreboard. Not enough for a medal, but a standing ovation nevertheless!

12:45
Colin Duffy is on fire at the moment in lead and he starts provisional second. Now's the time to confirm his worth! There's a bit of uncertainty in the middle, he backtracks to rest, changes the sequence the powers quickly upwards. He falls one hold below McArthur, but it's enough for provisional first! 136.4 points.  He's done all he can, now he's got an agonising wait!

12:41
Hamish McArthur climbed amazingly this morning, will he be able to repeat himself on the route or will he feel tired? He replies with an astoudning performance, climbing confidently and without hesitation until the route - close to the headwall - suddenly seems to shift gear. It may not be enough for a medal, but he can be happy with his performance today, he ends his Olympics with 125.9 points.

12:35
Men's Lead, Final Round, here we go! Hamish McArthur kicks off the action.

12:25
The athletes are already in the arena, observing the route. The pressure is palpable, understandably so, we're at the Olympics! It's worth noting that after an appeal, Jakob Schubert has lost 5 points. These might prove fundamental. We'll soon see.

11:59
Time for a short break, the live resumes at 12.35 with the Lead that will determine the new Olympic champion of this Combined event. The provisional ranking after the Boulder round is led by sensational 17-year-old Sorato Anraku with 69.3 points. Hot on his heels is Colin Duffy with 68.3 points, while Toby Roberts after an excellent performance trails in provisional third place with 63.1 points. Hamish McArthur powered into provisional 4th with 53.9 points, while the last four know they have a mountain to climb in Lead: Jakob Schubert 43.6 points, Paul Jenft 24.4 points, Adam Ondra and Alberto Gines Lopez tied last with 24.1 points.

11:53
Sorato Anraku on #4 a few tries to reach the high zone, the paddle moves make him sweat and, in the end, remain unclimbed. The sensational 17-year-old doesn't seem particularly satisfied with his performance, even though he leads the provisional ranking with 69.3 points!

11:48
Toby Roberts now on the last problem - the fiesta dello dynos - a style that isn't his favourite. He goes into damage control and gets the low zone, but goes no further. He ends his comp with 63.1 points that put him in provisional second place behind Colin Duffy! What a great performance for Great Britain this morning!

11:44
Despite climbing well today, something always seemed to be lacking Adam Ondra to secure those points. With only a low zone on block #4, he ends the Boulder round with a mere 24.1 points. Last place, tied with Alberto Ginés López... Lead this afternoon is going to be an uphill battle

11:41
Alberto Ginés López doesn't find the right gear this morning, not even on problem #4, and he leaves the arena very disappointed with just 24.1 points. He now has to clear his mind and regain his focus for the Lead route this afternoon.

11:36
On problem #3 Sorato Anraku doesn't find the top first go, on his second attempt he gets the upper zone but can't secure the top. He's human too! On problem #4 Jakob Schubert isn't particularly happy. He'd started well but ends his run with just one top and a total score of 48.4, provisional 5th.

11:31
Toby Roberts demonstrates he's on top form by sending #3 in three goes. This top will be fundamental to fuel his medal dreams! What a superb performance from the young Brit. Paul Jenft can't find his way through the paddle move dynos on #4 and ends the round with 24.4 points.

11:28
Adam Ondra battles on problem #3, he can't work it out and ends up with no points here. Colin Duffy for his part tops problem #4! Crazy Colin! He seals the deal holding the tiny two-finger pocket top after the huge dyno and ends his round with 68.3 points, provisional first.

11:24
Alberto Ginés López on boulder #3 needs to do well to stay in the running, but despite a good attempt, this isn't his day. Yet. Problem #4 is a sort of "Rainbow rocket" transported from Fontainebleau to Paris; Hamish McArthur doesn't stick the dyno towards the top, but he can certainly be happy with his result. He ends with 53.9 points,  provisional first.

11:18
Jakob Schubert also struggles on #3, he can't do battle as he'd like to and has to settle for the low zone. Sorato Anraku seeks zen calm for the slab, he manages to go statically and finds the inner peace all the way to the top. The first - and only - top of boulder #1! He jumps onto the mats incredulous, 49.6 his score after two problems... gamba!

11:13
Toby Roberts starts up the slab, needs a few attempts to mechanize the sequence and give himself a chance to stick the last coordination move, but it's not to be. Paul Jenft on the other side of the wall is up against powerful #3, the "witness the fitness" of this round that remains unclimbed.

11:08
Today it's much cooler than the other days, it's cloudy and with a slight breeze that certainly will be helping the friction. Colin Duffy makes a good first attempt on problem #3 but fails to send. Adam Ondra works the slab, understands the tricky final sequence but is unable to find the correct body position to stop the swing. He tries and tries agina, but keep falling. Time's running out. He'll have to do better on the last two problems to stay in the running.

11:04
Hamish McArthur is the first athlete to show us boulder #3 with an astounding attempt that really wears him out after more than a minute battling on the wall. He won't give it another go. What an amazing attempt, he touched the top but failed to match. Alberto Ginés López secures his first points on the slab but so far it hasn't been his comp. he ends, below par, with 4.7 points.

11:00
17-year-old Sorato Anraku shows he's from another planet on problem #1, no hesitation whatsoever, a flash in just a few seconds. Crazy! 25 points, a perfect start. Jakob Schubert needs multiple attempts to learn the slab moves on #2, and with a few seconds left on the clock he dynoes for the top. For a second it looks like it's his. But it isn't. 34 points for him after the second problem.

10:55
Toby Roberts, the surprise - but not too much to be honest - of these Olympics, enters the arena. The start proves confusing for him, too, but once he works out the beta he breezes to the top. He grabs the hold and kicks the wall in relief and frustration, he knows he's needed more attempts than necessary, 24.4 point his scone. Paul Jenft is o the slab. And off. He fails to work out the last move. Who'll show us how it's done?

10:51
Adam Ondra wants to return home with a medal, but he knows he really has to secure a great result in boulder. Unfortunately, he only figures the sequence on his last try, with 10 seconds left, and he fails to send the problem. 9.5 points for him. Colin Duffy on the slab uses all the tricks in his vast repertoire, but fails to unlock the sequence.. 34.0 his score after the second problem.

10:46
Two athletes on the wall. Hamish McArthur on the slab on the right. Technical and balancy. After a first go he races across, almost weightless, between the volumes, but he's too quick. No go, he ends with a high zone in 2 attempts. Defending Olympic champion Alberto Ginés López begins his final but the first problem keeps him on the mats. He just can't figure out how to start. And before you know it the time runs out and he finishes with no score. 0 points. A frustrating start for the Spaniard.

10:43
Jakob Schubert, the oldest in the comp and bronze at Tokyo, starts with difficulty. He needs a few tries to figure out the sequence. But he's the climbing machine, once he mechanizes a move he'll never miss it. And that's exactly what he does, through the zones, up to the top as if it were a huge jug. Great start, 24.7 points.

10:38
Paul Jenft struggles on the start, fails to find the right sequence. He struggles with the first dyno on the second section, wasting attempts going to the high zone. Time tuns out. Unfortunately a difficult start for the home favorite, only 4.9 points.

10:34
Colin Duffy seems confused at the start of #1, wastes important attempts getting going. But as soon as he get's the first zone he strolls to the top. 24.4, 7 attempts.

10:32
First out Hamish McArthur, and the Brit immediately finds an easy way to start boulder #1, on his flash he falls matching the top. The falls again. And tops it third go. 24.8

10:27
Monday's bouldering semifinal was a tough round, and we can't wait to see the cream of the crop compete in this final. Our hands are sweating already. Will Alberto Ginés López manage to defend his Olympic title?

10:22
Quick reminder about the scoring, the Olympic formula is slightly different from the World Cup/World Championship. There are two zones, the low zone which is worth 5 points and the high zone which is worth 10 points, and the top which is worth 25 points. The highest score achieved is awarded, minus 0.1 for every attempt needed to reach the highest point.

10:15
Paris welcomes the climbers with yet another day of brilliant sunshine. And the brilliant 7,000 strong crowd welcomes the the climbers with a raucous roar as the athletes enter the arena. The athletes now have 2 minutes per boulder to observe it and try to work out the beta. They can also touch the holds, but only the starting holds marked with 4 tapes, but are not allowed to take their feet off the ground.

10:05
The competition begins at 10:15 with Boulder. Here's the starting list, in reverse order of the Semifinal results:
1. Hamish McArthur
2. Colin Duffy
3. Paul Jenft
4. Jakob Schubert
5. Alberto Ginés López
6. Adam Ondra
7. Toby Roberts
8. Sorato Anraku

07:36
Friday 9th August, day 5 of sport climbing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It's the big day for Combined, for the Men's Boulder and Lead discipline. After the semi-finals on Monday (Boulder) and Wednesday (Lead), the moment of truth has arrived for the best 8.  They are: Sorato Anraku, Toby Roberts, Adam Ondra, Alberto Gines Lopez, Jakob Schubert, Paul Jenft, Colin Duffy & Hamish McArthur. Who knows how much they managed to sleep last night. As usual, the competition begins with Boulder, and they're gunning for the perfect,  maximum score of 100 points. The competition begins at 10.15.

For those not in the French capital, here's the complete list of how to watch the Olympic Games, including Eurosport with the excellent Shauna Coxsey and Matt Groom. Join planetmountain for the latest sport climbing news from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Our reporting will begin shortly before 10:15. Join us for what promises to be a historic competition.