Anraku Sorato surges ahead in sport climbing Boulder & Lead semi-finals at Paris 2024 Olympics
That moment when you top the rankings after just two boulders on your Olympic debut.
Anraku Sorato did just that, with the 17-year-old phenom from Japan laying down a huge marker in the semi-finals of the sport climbing men’s Boulder & Lead event at Paris 2024.
With four boulders to scale in total, world number one Anraku started with two top holds to take a commanding 14.6-point lead (69.0) overall going into Wednesday’s Lead semi-final.
Reigning Olympic champion Alberto Gines Lopez (28.7) has work to do, meanwhile, placing 14th, while Anraku’s compatriot Narasaki Tomoa (54.4) was second.
Only the top eight athletes with the best combined total will make Friday’s final, with legendary climber Adam Ondra (48.7), Team GB’s Toby Roberts (54.1) and French hope Sam Avezou (49.2) also impressing on Monday (5 August).
To see the rankings in full after the bouldering event, click here.
Men’s climbers delight crowd at Le Bourget Climbing Venue
Le Bourget Climbing Venue delivered on Monday, for both drama and atmosphere, with a packed crowd cheering vociferously for all 20 competitors.
With varying degrees of difficulty, all four boulders had their challenges, and it was a while before a top hold was achieved.
The first to do so was Austria’s bronze medallist from Tokyo 2020, Jakob Schubert, on the first boulder, but the noise from that moment was nothing on the levels when home hope Avezou scaled the fourth and final boulder shortly after.
Avezou won the Olympic Qualifier Series event in Budapest in June, and roared as he landed back on the mat to the delight of this crowd.
Meanwhile, Czechia's Ondra – chasing Olympic gold after missing out on the podium at Tokyo 2020 – saved his best for last to finish fifth overall after scoring 24.8 on the last boulder, as did Japan’s Narasaki.
Adam Ondra of Team Czechia celebrates after his top hold
However, this half of the semi-final belonged to Anraku.
And in truth, it was an utter masterclass from the rising star, who went better than his opening 24.9 with a perfect 25.0 on the second boulder to gasps from the crowd.
The gravity-defying climb involved a daring leap for the top hold, with the crowd appreciating the move they had just witnessed as he jumped up to first.
And just after Great Britain’s Roberts scored 24.7 on the final boulder to finish third, Anraku came out to a huge roar as the last climber to complete this stage of the event.
With the stage to himself, Anraku was unable to achieve a third top hold, but going into Wednesday’s lead semi-final he is primed to make the final and looks to be the climber to beat.