Current:Home > FinanceBrooke Raboutou earns historic climbing medal for Team USA in communal sport at Olympics -FutureFinance
Brooke Raboutou earns historic climbing medal for Team USA in communal sport at Olympics
View
Date:2025-04-13 09:53:28
LE BOURGET, France — About 30 minutes after the women’s boulder and lead combined final ended Saturday, Brooke Raboutou’s face hurt from smiling. She tried to relax and keep a straight face, but it didn’t last long.
The American sport climber had just won her first Olympic medal, silver, at her (and the sport’s) second Games, along with becoming the first Team USA climber to medal in sport climbing.
And she did it all surrounded by a close community of good friends, particularly Slovenian gold medalist Janja Garnbret.
"We have an incredible friendship where we both want each other to do our best," said Raboutou, the 23-year-old American, who trained in Slovenia. "So that's what happened today, and that feels really good to share that with somebody. …
"To share that connection as both a friend and an idol is incredible. I look up to her so much, and I'm so grateful for the support she's given me as well."
2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.
➤ Get Olympics updates in your texts! Join USA TODAY Sports' WhatsApp Channel
Garnbret, the favorite, finished first with 168.5 total points, followed by Raboutou with 156.0 and Austria’s Jessica Pilz with 147.4 points for bronze at Le Bourget Climbing Venue.
"With Brooke, this was our wish," said Garnbret, who added she was relieved when it was finally over. "This was our pact … that we would stand on the Olympic podium together."
➤ The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Garnbret and Raboutou excelled in the boulder portion of the final, finishing first and second, respectively, and just 0.4 points apart. They were the only climbers out of the eight-athlete final to top three of the four boulder problems.
Between the World Cup circuit, some climbers training together and, of course, being at the Paris Games, they’re a community of athletes who are competitive but support each other. Before the boulder portion during an observation period, some of them appeared to work together to solve the problems.
Pilz, 27, said she felt the World Cup events are "a bit more friendly and open" compared with the Olympics, where she "could feel the pressure and tension this time." But she chalked that up to the atmosphere and still praised the "good community" of climbing pals.
"The climbing community is absolutely incredible," Garnbret said. "Of course, we are competitors. But still, we have so much respect for each other, and we are so happy for each other.
"And it's still so beautiful because we have observation together; we all talk about the boulder. … So It's fantastic, and I hope it stays like this."
For the lead portion, once each climber was done competing, they collapsed into chairs in front of the wall, watching and cheering as they all finished.
Raboutou had a standout lead climbing performance and made it about three-quarters of the way up the wall, collecting 72 points and guaranteeing herself a medal.
Garnbret previously won Olympic gold at the 2021 Tokyo Games in the women’s combined – a different format compared with the Paris Olympics when the one event featured boulder, lead and speed. Raboutou finished fifth in Tokyo, and Pilz was seventh.
"So many of the girls in finals, we’re really close, and I hope that they were able to enjoy their climbing today because everyone deserves to be here," Raboutou said.
"(The feeling of community is) unlike any other sport. I think climbing is so special in that we truly do want the best for each other, and we're friends. Obviously, we're competitive, but we want to compete against each other at our best, and that's what pushes us and pushes our sport."
veryGood! (162)
Related
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- Sean Penn says he felt ‘misery’ making movies for years. Then Dakota Johnson knocked on his door
- Kansas City Chiefs join forces with Hallmark for Christmas rom-com 'Holiday Touchdown'
- Alex Morgan left off U.S. women's soccer team's 2024 Paris Olympic roster
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Michael Jackson's Son Prince Shares Heartbreaking Message on 15th Anniversary of His Death
- Spurs select Stephon Castle with fourth pick of 2024 NBA draft. What you need to know
- Man who police say urged ‘Zionists’ to get off NYC subway train faces criminal charge
- Costco membership growth 'robust,' even amid fee increase: What to know about earnings release
- How NBC will use an Al Michaels A.I. for 2024 Olympics
Ranking
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Drinking water of almost a million Californians failed to meet state requirements
- 8 arrested men with ties to ISIS feared to have been plotting potential terrorist attack in U.S., sources said
- Drinking water of almost a million Californians failed to meet state requirements
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Nevada judge denies release of ex-gang leader ahead of trial in 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur
- Fed up with the UK Conservatives, some voters turn to the anti-immigration Reform party for answers
- 6 years after wildfire destroyed Paradise, Calif., new blaze flares nearby
Recommendation
The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
Remains found in western Indiana in 1998 identified as those of long-missing man, police say
Hawks select Zaccharie Risacher with first pick of 2024 NBA draft. What to know
New study values market for women's sports merchandise at $4 billion
Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
LA Lakers pick Tennessee's Dalton Knecht with 17th pick in 2024 NBA draft
Former St. Louis principal sentenced after hiring friend to kill pregnant teacher girlfriend
Paris Hilton testifies before Congress on Capitol Hill about childhood sexual abuse