SPORTS DESK
Islamabad (August 31, 2021):- Anastasia Sanders from United States of America (USA) show impressive performance and claimed three gold medals at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Youth World Championships 2021 that held from August 21 to 30 in Voronezh, Russia, where 417 athletes representing 37 different nationalities.
Athletes contested across three age categories in Boulder, Lead, and Speed, with those participating in all three disciplines also being considered for a combined ranking.
In her debut international Sport Climbing competition, 14-year-old Anastasia (Annie) Sanders of the USA won not one, not two, but three gold medals. Sanders placed first in Youth B (athletes born 14 or 15 years before the year of competition) Lead and Boulder, in addition to taking the combined win for her stellar performance throughout the championships. The US climber topped every single Youth B route of the competition, was the only athlete to top all four blocks in the Boulder final – using only one attempt, or ‘flashing’, three of them – and narrowly missed out on a top 10 finish in Speed, settling for 11th place. A triple gold medal win marks a glittering start to Sanders’ career, pinning her as one-to-watch in future competitions.
Another noteworthy performance was that of Great Britain’s Hamish McArthur (19), who won a gold medal in both Boulder and Lead, as well as a combined silver medal. Competing in the Junior age category (athletes born 18 or 19 years before the year of competition), McArthur topped all four problems in the Boulder final with two flashes, and secured a top in Lead. The Brit also competed in Speed, putting him on the podium a third time for a combined medal.
In the Youth A competition (athletes born 16 or 17 years before the year of competition), Slovenia’s Sara Copar (16) took the win in Lead and placed second in Boulder. Copar also made the quarter final in Speed, setting her in first position in the overall combined ranking and leaving the Slovenian with two gold medals and one silver.
Those who ranked first in the Junior and Youth A categories of Boulder, Lead, and Speed are eligible for a place to compete at the World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. A total of six quota places will be allocated following the invitation and confirmation of the IFSC and respective National Federations in early 2022, as per the IFSC Qualification System for the World Games.
A special mention goes to Zoe Garcia Molina of Argentina (17), Lana Baki? (15) of Croatia, Luke Goh Wen Bin (18) of Singapore, and Poksakon Chotikkrai (18) of Thailand, with each being the sole athlete to represent their country in the championships.
The full Junior podium line-ups are as follows:
Junior men’s Boulder
Hamish McArthur (GBR)
Rei Kawamata (JPN)
Paul Jenft (FRA)
Junior women’s Boulder
Naïlé Meignan (FRA)
Emily Phillips (GBR)
Lucija Tarkus (SLO)
Junior women’s Lead
Nonoha Kume (JPN)
Lucija Tarkus (SLO)
Camille Pouget (FRA)
Junior men’s Lead
Hamish McArthur (GBR)
Paul Jenft (FRA)
Rei Kawamata (JPN)
Junior men’s Speed
Iaroslav Pashkov (RUS)
Ukolov Danila (RUS)
Lawrence Bogeschdorfer (AUT)
Junior women’s Speed
Franziska Ritter (GER)
Giulia Randi (ITA)
Capucine Viglione (FRA)
Junior men’s Combined
Lawrence Bogeschdorfer (AUT)
Hamish McArthur (GBR)
Johannes Hofherr (AUT)
Junior women’s Combined
Emily Phillips (GBR)
Lucija Tarkus (SLO)
Mahya Darabian (IRI)
The full Youth A podium line-ups are as follows:
Youth A men’s Boulder
Hannes Van Duysen (BEL)
Emil Zimmermann (GER)
Thorben Perry Bloem (GER)
Youth A women’s Boulder
Zélia Avezou (FRA)
Sara Copar (SLO)
Alessia Mabboni (ITA)
Youth A men’s Lead
Haruki Uemura (JPN)
Mejdi Schalck (FRA)
Timotej Romšak (SLO)
Youth A women’s Lead
Sara Copar (SLO)
Alessia Mabboni (ITA)
Liza Novak (SLO)
Youth A men’s Speed
Maksim Ryzhov (RUS)
Hryhorii Ilchyshyn (UKR)
Marco Rontini (ITA)
Youth A women’s Speed
Beatrice Colli (ITA)
Nuria Brockfeld (GER)
Callie Close (USA)
Youth A men’s Combined
Edvards Gruzitis (LAT)
Toby Roberts (GBR)
Timotej Romšak (SLO)
Youth A women’s Combined
Sara Copar (SLO)
Callie Close (USA)
Liza Novak (SLO)
The full Youth B podium line-ups are as follows:
Youth B men’s Boulder
Nikolay Rusev (BUL)
Sorato Anraku (JPN)
Augustine Chi (USA)
Youth B women’s Boulder
Anastasia Sanders (USA)
Meije Lerondel (FRA)
Sina Willy (AUT)
Youth B men’s Lead
Sorato Anraku (JPN)
Hugo Hoyer (USA)
Dillon Countryman (USA)
Youth B women’s Lead
Anastasia Sanders (USA)
Meije Lerondel (FRA)
Mio Nukui (JPN)
Youth B men’s Speed
Kirill Koldomov (RUS)
Samuel Watson (USA)
Yusuke Sugimoto (JPN)
Youth B women’s Speed
Daria Marciniak (POL)
Francesca Matuella (ITA)
Julie Fritsche (GER)
Youth B men’s Combined
Dillon Countryman (USA)
Nikolay Rusev (BUL)
Timo Uznik (AUT)
Youth B women’s Combined
Anastasia Sanders (USA)
Anastasia Kobets (UKR)
Sina Willy (AUT)
