MAWEM’S GOALS STILL ON TRACK IN MEN’S BOULDER
The first of the IFSC Climbing World Championships final has been set as we found out the six climbers who will attempt to take home the first Bern 2023 medals.
Of the 20 men taking part in the Boulder semi-finals, it was no surprise to see Japan’s Anraku Sorato leading the way. The young climber has had a whirlwind first senior season in 2023 where he took the IFSC World Cup Boulder series title, and he is looking in good form to add a World Championships medal to that honour.
Anraku was the only climber to top all four problems, starting with a flash on boulder one.
In second place, France’s Mickael Mawem was one of the earlier climbers out, and with his three tops had a bit of time to wait to see if he would be in the evening final. For Mawem, the wait was a pleasant one in the end.
Mawem said: “They weren’t hard boulders, not hard, not physical, not small holds. You just need to climb well and have good timing and that’s what I think I have, so that’s cool, that’s good.
“My goal is qualification for the Olympics and now I am in final so that is good. First step was qualification, second was semi-finals and the third step is a medal.”
Talking about the fourth and final boulder Mawem said: “I’m happy because I think I’m strong mentally for the finish, the hands, for the last move on the slab. I climb a lot on the slab and doing a lot of coordination the last month and I’m happy now, not just because of the result but the way I am climbing.”
There will be company for both Anraku and Mawem in the final as the 2021 Boulder World champion, Japan’s Fujii Kokoro, will try to defend his title going through in third and France’s Mejdi Schalck through in fourth. Both topped three boulders.
Lee Dohyun will fly South Korea’s flag in the final as the only other climber to top three problems, and Austria’s Nicolai Uznik will attempt to add a World title to his 2022 Boulder European title with the help of two flashed boulders securing the sixth and last final spot.
Full men’s Boulder results can be found here
The final is scheduled for this evening at 18:30 (UTC+2:00).
France's Mickael Mawem competes in men's Boulder semi-finals at Bern 2023
Photo: Jan Virt/IFSC
