18-year-old Toby Roberts of Surrey won bronze in Salt Lake City, USA this weekend in his first IFSC Boulder World Cup final. He became the first British athlete to medal in both Lead and Boulder World Cups, following his bronze medal performance at the IFSC Lead World Cup in Edinburgh last year. 

Toby qualified in 4th place for finals in a strong field of three Japanese athletes (Olympian Tomoa Narasaki, Sorato Anraku and Daiki Sano) and two previous IFSC Boulder World Cup medalists Hannes Van Duysen (BEL) and Sean Bailey (USA).

In the final, Toby failed to top the first slab boulder, but completed the remaining three to finish with three Tops and four Zones, just behind Tomoa Narasaki and Sorato Anraku, who both topped all four boulders.

This is Toby's first season on the IFSC senior Boulder World Cup circuit and Salt Lake City was only his third event. In Hachioji, he made his Boulder World Cup debut in 24th place, and in Seoul finished just out of finals in 8th place.

As this season marks the beginning of Olympic selection for Paris 2024 - starting at the IFSC World Championships in Bern, Switzerland, in August, Toby's podium in Boulder in addition to his Lead bronze last season make him a strong contender for an Olympic quota place.

Out of the male IFSC Boulder World Cup medallists from the 2023 season so far, only Toby and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Tomoa Narasaki have won medals in both Boulder and Lead World Cups.

On the IFSC Youth circuit, Toby won multiple medals including two World Youth Championships silvers and two European Youth Championship titles in Boulder and Lead. 

Last year, he won his first senior IFSC gold at the European Cup in Žilina, Slovakia. 

Toby's bronze was one of two won by GB athletes in Salt Lake City this weekend. Richard Slocock also won bronze in the IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup (UKC News).

Toby has just started a YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow his journey to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Stay tuned for Matt Groom's UKC round-up of this event.