Pan American Games 2023: Team USA's Natalia Grossman clinches final gold medal on sport climbing's continental games debut
It was an emotional ending to sport climbing's continental debut as Natalia Grossman took the win over long-time friend Brooke Raboutou in Santiago, Chile.
Natalia Grossman won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games on Tuesday (24 October) to secure a quota at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
It was an emotional win for the American, who overcame long-time friend and compatriot Brooke Raboutou on the final day of sport climbing’s continental debut**.**
A lot was on the line as the rivals battled towards the Olympic quota and tears flowed for both when the final results were posted.
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Pan American Games 2023: Team USA's medal winners - full list
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Pan American Games Santiago 2023: Overall medal table - complete list
‘Bittersweet’ is how Grossman described the win.
“Obviously if it were any other competition we'd be so psyched to be one and two, but having only one spot, it's a bittersweet feeling,” she told Olympics.com after stepping down from the podium with close friend Raboutou who took silver.
The gold was the fourth of four climbing titles awarded at the games, and for the United States, it was a clean sweep.
Brooke Raboutou of USA (c), Natalia Grossman of USA (L) and Alannah Yip of Canada (R) they celebrate with their medals in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games on October 24 in Santiago, Chile.
After blue skies all afternoon with the snow-capped Andes mountains as the venue’s backdrop, the stadium lights began to malfunction and competition was delayed.
Canada’s Rebecca Frangos completed her run as the malfunctions began, scaling the lead wall as the lights flickered and the audience showed audible concern.
Talking about the delay, Grossman said “I think it actually helped me 'cause I was able to just fuel up and then rest. And so by the time I was on the wall, all the carbs had kicked in and I was like, let's go.”
She climbed the wall with precision and control and came within inches of completion before falling and taking a final score of 88.1.
Raboutou did all she could to make up for her 14.9 point deficit from her rival after the boulder portion, but even with a lead score of 96, she was unable to come back.
The boulder section kicked off the day and Grossman dominated. The 22-year-old looked like a seasoned pro as she flowed through both boulders two and three smoothly, completing both on her first attempt in under a minute and a half to look back at the crowd and flash a smile.
She was the only athlete to complete the first three successfully, but fell just short of completion on the fourth to end her perfect streak.
Santiago native Alejandra Contreras finished sixth in the boulder and lead portions and was a crowd favorite. The audience cheered, waved the Chilean flag and held posters with her name drawn in large red, white and blue letters.
National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective NOC teams at the Olympic Games. Athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
SANTIAGO, CHILE Ð OCT 24: Natalia Grossman de Estados Unidos en accion en Escalada durante los Juegos Panamericanos Santiago 2023 el 24 de octubre en Santiago, Chile./ Natalia Grossman of USA in action during the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games on October 24 in Santiago, Chile. (Foto de Dante Fernandez/ Santiago 2023 v’a Photosport).
Results from men's boulder and lead at Pan American Games 2023:
Boulder Stage
- Natalia Grossman, 84.3
- Brooke Raboutou, 69.4
- Alannah Yip, 64.7
- Anastasia Sanders, 39.0
- Valentina Aguado, 34.8
- Indiana Champman, 34.7
- Alejandra Contreras, 34.5
- Rebecca Frangos, 29.3
Lead Stage
- Brooke Raboutou, 96.0
- Natalia Grossman, 88.1
- Anastasia Sanders, 76.1
- Alannah Yip, 64
- Rebecca Frangos, 57.1
- Alejandra Contreras, 57.0
- Valentina Aguado, 54.0
- Indiana Champman, 51.1