Johnson-Thompson Celebrates Olympic Redemption as Roberts Secures Gold
- ‘So relieved’: heptathlete takes silver in thrilling contest
- ‘Terminator’ Roberts triumphs, Burgin into 800m final
Johnson-Thompson Celebrates Olympic Redemption as Roberts Secures Gold Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson delivered a stunning performance in the heptathlon’s final 800m race, securing an Olympic silver medal.
Her personal best effort came just shy of the gold, which went to Belgium’s Nafi Thiam. Earlier in the day, Toby Roberts, a 19-year-old climber nicknamed “The Terminator,” claimed a surprising gold in men’s sport climbing, while Team GB’s sprinters had an electrifying finish in the athletics events.
In the climbing competition held at Le Bourget, Roberts outperformed expectations to clinch the title in both boulder and lead events. He expressed his disbelief at winning gold, saying, “I’m just absolutely lost for words. To find out that I got the gold in that moment, it was just truly incredible.” The favorite, Japan’s Sorato Anraku, had a slip that opened the door for Roberts, who has been training for this moment his whole life.
In track cycling, Italy’s Chiara Consonni and Vittoria Guazzini won gold in the women’s Madison, while Team GB’s Elinor Barker and Neah Evans secured a silver after a thrilling final double-points sprint. Jack Carlin from Paisley also added a bronze in the men’s sprint.
Johnson-Thompson, a two-time world champion, overcame previous Olympic setbacks to finally earn a Games medal. Despite her personal best time of 2:04.90, which fell short of Thiam’s 2:10.62, Johnson-Thompson’s performance was a significant achievement following her injuries and previous Games disappointments. She reflected, “I’m so blessed to be having these big rivalries with one of the best of all time and I ran a PB, and that’s all I can ask of myself.”
Max Burgin, a rising star in British athletics, qualified for the men’s 800m final with a personal best time of 1:43.50. The 22-year-old expressed his excitement about competing on such a significant stage, while Olympic 400m silver medalist Matt Hudson-Smith aimed for a second medal with the 4x400m relay team, which qualified second only to the US.
In the women’s 4x400m relay, Lina Nielsen, Jodie Williams, Hannah Kelly, and Yemi Mary John reached the final with a time of 3:24.72, fueling hopes for a podium finish. Nielsen was optimistic about their chances, noting the team’s excellent shape and potential for a top spot.
In the swimming events, Hector Pardoe and Toby Robinson finished sixth and fourteenth respectively in the men’s 10km marathon. Robinson hoped their performance would inspire efforts to clean up the Thames and motivate future swimmers.
In the relays, Britain’s women’s team narrowly missed gold in the 4x100m, finishing just behind the US, while the men’s team took bronze, behind Canada and South Africa. The British 4x100m relay team had pushed hard but fell short in the final handover.
Johnson-Thompson, known as KJT, was particularly riveting as she pushed for a faster 800m time, coming within a few seconds of her goal despite a track made slippery by early rain. Her determination earned her a place among Britain’s Olympic heptathlon legends. She expressed her relief and joy at winning the Olympic medal she had long coveted, and hinted at a celebratory meal planned by her boyfriend, retired hurdler Andrew Pozzi.
