Janja Garnbret Triumphs Over Brooke Raboutou to Retain Olympic Sport Climbing Gold

Janja Garnbret has cemented her status as one of the biggest stars in climbing with her back-to-back Olympic wins.

PARIS, France — Janja Garnbret and Brooke Raboutou cried together in joy as they hugged after the boulder and lead sport climbing final at the Paris Games on Saturday.

Garnbret, a Slovenian climber, defended her Olympic title by overcoming Raboutou on the last climb of the day in Le Bourget to secure the gold. This victory enhances Garnbret’s reputation as a dominant force in the sport, while Raboutou celebrated the first-ever climbing Olympic medal for the U.S. women’s team.

The competition also saw Leonardo Veddriq of Indonesia triumph in the speed category, and Toby Roberts of Great Britain take home the men’s gold in lead and boulder. Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland won the women’s gold in speed earlier in the week.

In Tokyo, sport climbing’s Olympic debut, boulder and lead were combined with speed, allowing only one medal each for men and women. This new format in Paris has given more athletes the chance to shine.

Garnbret’s achievements are unparalleled, with no other athlete amassing as many international climbing titles as she has. Her influence extends beyond the climbing wall, as she is an advocate for eradicating eating disorders from sport climbing.

Despite suffering a toe injury last year that sidelined her for a while, Garnbret proved her resilience by coming back stronger than ever.

Her journey continues to inspire many in the world of sport climbing.