This athlete set a world record in speed climbing, but still had to settle for bronze, here’s why

The Paris Olympics has seen its fair share of bizarre occurrences and incidents, and a recent one, revolving around a speed climber, is just like the icing on a cake. According to a Yahoo Sports report, Team USA’s speed climber Sam Watson was not able grab a gold medal in the speed climbing event at the Paris Olympics 2024, even after setting a world record, by climbing a 49 ft wall within a matter of 4.74 seconds.

USA speed climber manages bronze even after setting world record

Watson’s climb has been even faster than the sprinters at the track and field events, and his record is being the most talked about thing, along with the fact that he had to miss out on a gold medal even after this fantastic climb. Watson, instead had to settle for a bronze medal after this small incident, that saw him descend back to earth as the fastest man in an Olympic sport, while the audience cheered for his amazing performance.

Why couldn’t Sam Watson not secure a gold?

Watson had to force a smile while receiving the bronze medal during the ceremony, as he was very close to the Olympic gold, and had even set a world record for it. However, this is also a fact that speed climbing involves the lowest margin-of-error in an Olympic sport, and even climbing a wall too fast won’t do the trick for the athlete. Instead, they need to do so with precision and follow every rule along the way.

Based on the precision and accuracy of the athlete, they would be awarded their scores and timings, which would then decide upon their medal standings. Watson may have climbed the wall within 5 seconds but could not fine-tune it for an Olympic gold.

FAQs:

Is Sam Watson a world record holder in speed climbing? Yes, Sam Watson, recently set a world record by climbing a 49ft wall within 4.74 seconds, but still could not secure a gold medal in the Paris Olympics.

Did Sam Watson win an Olympic gold for setting the world record in speed climbing?Even though Sam Watson set a world record in speed climbing in the Paris Olympics 2024, he still could not win a gold medal in the event.

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