SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT
Moscow (September 18, 2021):-The USA’s Natalia Grossman (20) claimed the title of Boulder World Champion at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Championships this evening in Moscow, Russia. Topping all four problems in the women’s Boulder final, the American earned her ninth medal of the year after a stellar 2021 World Cup season – the first senior World Championship medal of her career, and a gold one at that.
Having made the podium of every single IFSC Boulder World Cup so far this year, Grossman came to win tonight in Moscow, annihilating the women’s Boulder final by flashing – using only one attempt – three out of four blocs. On boulder number three – a dynamic jump up to the zone hold and then a delicate dance to traverse across a slab wall – the American secured a top in four attempts, finishing with ease after sticking the ‘dyno’. After placing first in both the qualifying and semi-final rounds, Grossman well and truly earned her place atop the podium following this evening’s final, and was greeted with elation by best friend and teammate Brooke Raboutou (20) as she waltzed away with the win.
Italy’s Camilla Moroni (20) also put on a display of sheer skill tonight, topping all four boulders and taking her first senior Sport Climbing medal. Releasing a scream of raw emotion after finding a top on bloc number four, Moroni took the silver medal in addition to the title of Vice World Champion. Although topping the same number of boulders as Grossman, Moroni settled for a successful second place due to using a higher number of attempts than the American.
Taking the bronze medal was Serbia’s Stasa Gejo (23) with two tops and four zones, climbing onto a World Championship podium for the second time in her career, after also taking a bronze in Boulder during the 2018 edition of the championships in Innsbruck, Austria. It’s also the second time Gejo has climbed onto a podium in 2021, having won bronze at the IFSC Boulder World Cup in Innsbruck earlier this year.
Elena Krasovskaia (21) of the CFR just missed out on a medal in fourth place, with Olympian Brooke Raboutou, of the USA, placing fifth, and Switzerland’s Andrea Kümin (23) closing the final in sixth.
