World-record holder Sam Watson is set to compete in the sport climbing men's speed event on Thursday at the Paris Olympics.
Watson, 18, set the world record of 4.79 seconds in April at the sport climbing World Cup competition in Wujiang, China, but that record has already fallen, and Watson is the one who broke it. During qualifying in Paris, he made it to the top of the wall in an astonishing 4.75 seconds.
Watson came into his first Olympics in Paris ranked number three in the world.
He's a favorite to earn a medal in the event. He's a three-time podium finisher at World Cup events, including 2024 in Salt Lake City and 2022 in Edinburgh.
“I want to win. It’s sort of a weird thing to say, and I haven't really come to terms with it, but I think at
this point, a lot of people could say I'm the gold medal favorite with being as fast as I am compared to
the rest of the world," Watson told NBC Sports in May. "Obviously, speed climbing is about winning races, and I need to win those races in that format, rather than just be the fastest. So that's still what I'm working on.”
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When are the men's speed climbing finals?
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Watch all the action from the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games live on Peacock
The men's speed climbing quarterfinals, semifinals and finals will be held on Thursday, Aug. 8.
The sport climbing men's speed climbing final will take place place Aug. 8 at 6:54 a.m. ET
Here's a look at the schedule:
| Date | Time | Event | How to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Aug. 8 | 6:35 a.m. ET | Sport Climbing Men's Speed Quarterfinals | Peacock, nbcolympics.com |
| Thursday, Aug. 8 | 6:46 a.m. ET | Sport Climbing Men's Speed Semifinals | Peacock, nbcolympics.com |
| Thursday, Aug. 8 | 6:54 a.m. ET | Sport Climbing Men's Speed Finals | Peacock, nbcolympics.com |
How to watch the men's speed sport climbing event?
The men's speed sport climbing final rounds will be shown live on E!, Peacock, and stream live on nbcolympics.com.
The event will reair in late night on NBC.
