Sam Watson departs from the Paris Games with yet another world record in speed sport climbing, although he did not secure the coveted Olympic gold medal.
Setting Records but Falling Short
The American athlete shattered the speed world record for the second time at the 2024 Paris Olympics, achieving the feat in the bronze medal match after being knocked out in the semifinals.
Despite being the top contender for the gold, 18-year-old Watson was defeated by Wu Peng of China in the semifinals. However, Watson went on to set a new record of 4.74 seconds in the third-place race. Leonardo Veddriq of Indonesia clinched the gold with a time of 4.75 in the final, while Wu finished with 4.77.
Personal Reflections
Reflecting on his performance, Watson remarked, “I was just flying and doing my thing. I think nothing really changed between any of my laps. 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 initially broke the world record with a time of 4.75 in an elimination heat two days prior. He had previously held the record of 4.79 since April.
Mixed Emotions
While the world record held significant meaning for Watson, he admitted that it had not fully sunk in what it meant to leave with the record but without the gold medal.
“I haven’t really gone through it,” he expressed. “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 is positive and a good representation of myself, my sport, and my country.”
Post-Competition Plans
Watson mentioned that he planned to take a short break and possibly go on vacation after putting in significant effort in Paris.
However, before anything else, he intended to enjoy the Olympic Village muffin he had been raving about on his social media platforms since his arrival in Paris.
“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,” Watson shared.
