LE BOURGET, France — Sam Watson concluded his experience at the Paris Games with a remarkable achievement in speed sport climbing, setting a new world record, yet he departs without the coveted Olympic gold medal.
On Thursday, the American athlete broke the speed world record for the second time during the 2024 Paris Olympics, achieving the feat during the battle for bronze after being eliminated in the semifinals.
The 18-year-old, widely regarded as the favorite for gold, faced off against Wu Peng of China in the semifinals, ultimately losing before clocking a time of 4.74 seconds in the third-place match. Meanwhile, Leonardo Veddriq of Indonesia secured the gold medal with a time of 4.75 seconds in the final, followed closely by Wu with a time of 4.77 seconds.
“I was just flying and doing my thing. I think nothing really changed between any of my laps,” Watson stated. “Just a couple millimeters of an error is really the name of the game in the sport. So no real regrets. I don’t think the pressure really got to me or anything like that. I think I just made a tiny little stumble.”
Watson had initially set the record for the first time just two days prior, completing his heat in 4.75 seconds. This new record exceeds his previous world record of 4.79 seconds, which he held since April.
Reflecting on the significance of the world record, Watson mentioned it was “a big accomplishment” but acknowledged that he had not fully processed the juxtaposition of achieving this record while not winning gold.
“I haven’t really gone through it. I think all that kind of stuff is external rather than internal. I have a view of who I am in my mind, and that doesn’t really change regardless of my performance. But other people will view me in certain ways, and I hope that way as positive and a good representation of myself, my sport and my country,” he shared.
Looking ahead, Watson plans to take a short break, considering a vacation following his intense efforts in Paris. However, he expressed a determination to savor a particular treat first: the Olympic Village muffin that he has been excited about on his social media since his arrival.
“That was the first thing I was doing, is I would get my chocolate muffin that I brought from the village and eat it right after, regardless of what happened,” he concluded.