Australia’s Oceania Mackenzie is third (just) after the boulder portion of this women’s final.
The 22-year-old has an advantage of just 0.2 of a point back to Frenchwoman Oriane Bertone and Great Britain’s Erin McNeice, and just 0.4 to Jessica Pilz of Austria. That can be made up by going just one hold further in the next round.
Coming up at 8:35pm AEST is the lead final, which is a long endurance climb with climbers clipping into carabiners on the way up a 15-metre route.
It’s Mackenzie’s weaker discipline — she tied with Bertone for the lowest semifinal lead score among these finalists — and there are some lead-climbing superstars behind her in the standings.
Still, Mackenzie is in with a chance at a medal at the Olympic Games, three years after finishing 19th of 20 in Tokyo. Already an amazing effort.
In front of her are Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret and American Brooke Raboutou, but Garnbret has an issue.
The reigning gold medallist has won every climbing title under the Sun and was about as heavy a favourite as you can get this side of Armand Duplantis, but she’s come out of the boulder round miserable and clutching at the middle finger on her left hand.
This is one sport where a finger injury can knock you out for months. One to watch.
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