Paris 2024 Sport climbing: All results, as world record holder Aleksandra Miroslaw takes first women's speed gold medal

Aleksandra Miroslaw had the perfect resume to become the inaugural Olympic champion in women's speed climbing.

At 30 years old, the double world champion, ten-time World Cup winner, and current world record holder from Poland ascended to the top of her sport, adding Olympic gold to her impressive list of accolades after delivering a performance for the ages on 7 August at Paris 2024.

Deng Lijuan of the People's Republic of China took the silver, while Miroslaw's compatriot Aleksandra Kalucka beat her Indonesian opponent, Rajiah Sallsabillah, to take the bronze.

Miroslaw's journey to the gold medal was nothing short of historic. In the preliminary rounds leading up to the final, Miroslaw sent a clear message to her competitors. She clocked in at 6.21 seconds, smashing both the world and Olympic records.

But the Polish climber was far from finished. She then went on to smash her own world record on the same day, in her next run, setting a new world best time of 6.06 seconds—a feat that left both audience and her rivals in awe.

Despite her dominance in the qualifiers, the final itself was a nail-biting affair, with Miroslaw facing stiff competition from China's Deng who finished a mere eight-hundredths of a second behind Miroslaw to get the silver, setting a new personal best and Asian record in the process.

“It was a close final,” Miroslaw reflected, having narrowly missed the podium at the 2023 World Championships with a bronze medal. “I just focused on myself and my run. I didn’t look on the right side, on the times, just focused on myself.”

The emotion of the moment was palpable as Miroslaw stood atop the podium, listening to her national anthem with tears in her eyes. “It means a lot. It’s like the first time for the speed climbing and also for me here in the discipline, and I have my flag, and I was standing on the podium on the first place hearing the national anthem. It was amazing,” she said, her voice filled with pride, Polish flag draped around her shoulders.

Sport climbing: Women's speed podium

Gold: Aleksandra Miroslaw, Poland

Silver: Deng Lijuan, People's Republic of China

Bronze: Aleksandra Kalucka, Poland

See all the results on Olympics.com.