Day 14 at the Paris Olympics: Toby Roberts climbs to surprise gold

There was also British success at the Stade de France and in the velodrome.

Toby Roberts celebrates winning boulder and lead climbing gold (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

Teenage climber Toby Roberts led a flurry of medals for Great Britain with an unexpected gold.

The Stade de France and the velodrome also proved fruitful, with Katarina Johnson-Thompson taking silver in the heptathlon, her first Olympic medal.

Britain’s men’s and women’s 4×100 metres relay teams both got their hands on silverware, while there was silver in the women’s Madison for Elinor Barker and Neah Evans and bronze for Jack Carlin in the men’s sprint.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look back at Friday’s action.

‘The Terminator’ hits back

Roberts became Britain’s first Olympic climbing champion in dramatic style at Le Bourget.

Known as ‘The Terminator’ for his gutsy style, the 19-year-old went into the second stage of the boulder and lead competition in third place.

A brilliant lead route gave him the advantage and he was stunned to learn he had won gold after Japanese favourite Sorato Amkaru fell within touching distance of the title.

Silver lining for Johnson-Thompson

Johnson-Thompson is a two-time heptathlon world champion but the Olympics had not proved a happy hunting ground.

The Liverpudlian put that right in Paris, though, performing well across the seven events and pushing two-time defending champion Nafissatou Thiam all the way in a gruelling 800m.

Britain’s women were agonisingly close to gold in the 4x100m relay but were just pipped by the USA, while a storming last leg from Zharnel Hughes earned bronze for the men.

Cyclists sprint to medals

A late charge from Barker carried her and Evans to Madison silver in the velodrome.

The British pair, who are world champions, won the last of the 12 sprints in the 120-lap race to move above the Netherlands but could not catch Italy.

Carlin then won an eventful individual sprint bronze, edging out Dutchman Jeffrey Hoogland in a deciding race that had to be restarted after the pair collided.

Seine shows the way

Swimming events in the Seine have attracted a lot of criticism, but British star Hector Pardoe urged the British government to follow France’s lead.

Pardoe admitted he would have to take precautionary antibiotics after his sixth-placed finish in the marathon swim, with ongoing concerns about the water quality.

But he said: “It is amazing they have been able to clean it up and all the races have gone ahead.

“It sets a really good precedent for the rest of European nations to clean up the rivers and hopefully we can follow it in the UK because we have got a massive way to go to even get close to what France have done here.”

Blues for Les Bleus

The stage was set for Thierry Henry’s side to clinch men’s football gold at the Parc des Princes but Spain spoiled the party.

France fought back from 3-1 down to force extra-time, with Maghnes Akliouche diverting home Michael Olise’s free-kick before Jean-Philippe Mateta scored an injury-time penalty.

But Sergio Camello grabbed a brace in the added period to earn Spain a 5-3 win and the gold medal.

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