  The 2d O(3) model is widely used as a toy model for ferromagnetism and for
Quantum Chromodynamics. With the latter it shares --- among other basic aspects
--- the property that the continuum functional integral splits into topological
sectors. Topology can also be defined in its lattice regularised version, but
semi-classical arguments suggest that the topological susceptibility $\chi_{\rm
t}$ does not scale towards a finite continuum limit. Previous numerical studies
confirmed that the quantity $\chi_{\rm t}\, \xi^{2}$ diverges at large
correlation length $\xi$. Here we investigate the question whether or not this
divergence persists when the configurations are smoothened by the Gradient Flow
(GF). The GF destroys part of the topological windings; on fine lattices this
strongly reduces $\chi_{\rm t}$. However, even when the flow time is so long
that the GF impact range --- or smoothing radius --- attains $\xi/2$, we do
still not observe evidence of continuum scaling.
