The race for the women's Boulder 2024 World Cup trophy just got more intriguing after American Natalia Grossman won an emotional gold medal in Prague, Czech Republic, topping a podium that also featured France's Nayre Maignan and Australia's Oceania Mackenzie.
Grossman's final didn't get off to a great start – the American climber finally reached the summit of W1 after nine attempts and then failed to secure the final hold on W2 – but a confident flash on the third boulder put her back in medal contention, with one problem left to go and plenty still to come.
“I started to lose confidence after the first move,” Grossman said of the climb on W4. [of the last boulder]My arms were so tired. I knew what my intended beta was, but I was just so tired, I just found my own way. Once I got in the zone, I loved the crimp, and I thought, 'I want that crimp, I want that finishing hold!'”
Grossman ultimately came out on top on bouldering No. 4, becoming the only finalist to finish third and fourth, earning 11 Bouldering World Cup gold medals in her career. “This win means more to me than any of my recent wins. It means if I believe in myself, I can do it.”
“[Prague] “This was one of the best World Cups I've ever been to and the crowd was amazing. It was fantastic, thank you!”
Also on the podium were France's Nayre Maignan, who took first place twice and second place in four zones, and Australia's Oceania Mackenzie, who was third in two and three and finally managed to get on the podium in a World Cup competition after coming fourth twice this year.
Japan's Matsufuji Aon finished in fourth place with two top attempts and three zones, two more attempts to the top than Mackenzie, while France's Zélia Avezou followed in fifth place with one top attempt and two zones, while Japan's semi-finalist Nakamura Mao finished in sixth place with no top attempts and three zones.
For complete results from the women's bouldering competition, click here.
