Hammersmith climber Molly Thompson-Smith was unsuccessful in making Saturday’s final after a spirited ascent of the new rock wall in the heats at the Paris Olympics.
Molly, 26, who grew up in H&F and embraced the gravity-defying sport when she was seven, ended up in 19th place.
“The boulder round was a brutal one for me, and definitely not how I wanted to start here in Paris,” she admitted afterwards.
Her team-mate Erin McNeice was ahead of her in seventh, reaching the final on Saturday (10 August).
Despite not getting to the final, Molly believes that sport of rock climbing has been given a huge boost by the TV coverage of the Paris games. “It’s been a tough road to get here, but regardless of what happens I’m so proud I made it,” she said.
A five-time UK national competition lead climbing champion, Molly still dreams of adding to her two international bronze medals, won in Slovenia in 2017, and Moscow in 2020.
Molly spent her childhood in Hammersmith, where her mum was a teacher at Addison primary school in Addison Gardens, W14. She represented H&F in trampolining as a youngster at the London Youth Games.
The climbing action this week has been focused on the new purpose-built arena 7km east of the Paris Olympic village, where three new covered outdoor competition walls have been constructed, together with near-vertical practice cliffs.
Heartbreak for Molly Caudery
H&F's other Olympic Molly was pole-vaulter Molly Caudery. She unfortunately fell short and missed out on a shot at the finals, despite starting the week as favourite.
She couldn’t find her form in the Stade de France, knocking the bar off in successive attempts at 4.55m at the start of the week.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “I wish I could have done better, but it was just one of those days.”
Molly, who trains with Thames Valley Harriers at the Linford Christie stadium in Shepherds Bush, came tantalisingly close to progressing to the final with her last run of the day. But although she flung herself high into the air her feet dislodged the bar as she came down on to the mat.
The experience has whetted Molly’s appetite for more however, and at 24 there’s a realistic prospect of her making Team GB for the Los Angeles games in 2028. “I’ll use this, I’ll learn from this,” she pledged. “I’ll try to come back stronger.”
Get involved
Don’t forget you can still have a go at rowing at Fulham Reach Boat Club, by Hammersmith Bridge, with free water sports training until 16 August as part of H&F’s Summer in the City programme. Information here.
And you can follow all the action from the last days of the Paris games in Westfield Square, at the shopping mall in Shepherds Bush, and on the deckchairs in Lyric Square, Hammersmith.
