- Toby Roberts defeated the favorite, Japan’s Sorato Anraku, for the gold medal
- Anraku only needed to match Roberts’ score to win, but fell off the 15-meter wall
- The surprise success marked Team GB’s first ever Olympic climbing medal
Toby Roberts claimed a sensational Olympic gold medal for Team GB in a thrilling men’s bouldering and lead final – making history in the process.
Roberts, just 19, reached the top step of the podium after posting an impressive score of 92.1 points on the hangar wall, taking his total score to 155.2.
Japan’s Sorato Anraku, widely regarded as the big favourite for the title in Paris, fell during his final climb shortly after crossing the 60-point mark.
That meant Anraku had to settle for silver, while Austrian Jakob Schubert secured bronze. The other British competitor, Hamish McArthur, finished fifth.
Roberts, nicknamed ‘The Terminator’, tops the rankings after claiming the British team’s first ever Olympic climbing medal and his 14th British gold medal this summer.
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Roberts couldn’t believe his victory and threw his head into his hands when Anraku slipped while climbing the climbing wall at Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue.
Roberts, who had honed his climbing skills on a homemade wall in his father’s garden, had finished second in the first part of the final, which featured four bouldering blocks.
The Surrey talent then provisionally captured gold, with only Anraku still on the scoreboard.
But the Briton only had to match Roberts’ score to take him to silver, but the Japanese world team silver medallist lost his grip and fell with a big shock.
“I’m speechless,” Roberts told the BBC.
“When I found out I had the gold at that point, it was really unbelievable.”
More to come.