Janja Garnbret successfully defended her Olympic crown in sport climbing on Saturday, emerging as a double gold medalist in the combined Boulder & Lead event.
The 25-year-old Slovenian star clinched the top spot ahead of Team USA’s Brooke Raboutou, who took silver, along with the other finalists. Despite the competitive stakes, Garnbret and Raboutou—close friends—shared a heartfelt embrace once the contest concluded.
“We have an amazing friendship where we both want the best for each other, and that’s exactly what happened today,” Raboutou told The Washington Post. “It’s incredible to share that feeling with someone, and to represent our sport in a way we know is genuine and authentic.”
In the bouldering semifinals, Garnbret dazzled the judges, achieving a near-perfect score of 99.6 out of 100—just four-tenths shy of perfection.
However, during the fourth boulder in the finals, Garnbret initially dominated but then fell, injuring one of her fingers. This allowed Raboutou to briefly edge ahead. Despite the setback, Garnbret’s performance in the lead section ultimately propelled her past Raboutou, securing a combined score of 168.5 points and the coveted gold medal.
“I was terrified when my finger got caught between two holds, and I couldn’t free it,” Garnbret said, according to The Washington Post. “But the adrenaline kept me going. I thought to myself, ‘I don’t care if I lose a finger—I’m going to climb this route.’”
Garnbret first appeared on the World Cup circuit at 16, and over the past nine years, she has firmly established herself in climbing history. She has claimed eight world championship titles and made headlines in 2019 by sweeping the entire Bouldering World Cup season, winning all six events—a feat no one had ever achieved before.
By adding a second Olympic gold to her remarkable career, Garnbret has further solidified her reputation as the “undisputed G.O.A.T.” in sport climbing, according to the official Olympics blog.
