2026 World Climbing Prague Men’s Bouldering: Sorato Takes Fourth Gold Medal

2026 World Climbing Prague Men’s Bouldering

Back in Prague for another exciting and highly anticipated climbing competition, the 2026 World Climbing Prague men’s bouldering event introduced a new venue: the iconic Štvanice Stadium on Štvanice Island. As a key stop on the World Climbing Series calendar, the event featured both bouldering and lead disciplines, presenting fresh challenges for the world’s elite climbers.

The men’s bouldering semi-final and final rounds tested athletes with a demanding set of problems that required precise technique, creative problem-solving, and exceptional control, particularly on a series of difficult slab boulders. Here’s a closer look at the standout performances, key moments, and final results from the 2026 World Climbing Prague men’s bouldering competition.

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Men’s Bouldering Semi-Final

After a rainy morning, the weather cleared just in time for the 2026 World Climbing Prague men’s bouldering semi-final. The route setters challenged the athletes with a series of intricate slab boulders that proved difficult for much of the field, with many climbers struggling to secure even a zone on some of the problems.

Entering Prague with three consecutive gold medals, all eyes were on Japan’s Sorato Anraku to see if he could continue his remarkable winning streak. And, he did not disappoint. Despite failing to secure a zone on the second boulder, Anraku delivered the strongest performance of the round, topping three boulders and finishing with 74.6 points – leading the field into the final.

Close behind were French climbers Mejdi Schalck and Max Bertone. Schalck secured two tops and four zones for a score of 68.8 points, earning his place in the final. His advancement was a particularly meaningful moment following a disappointing performance in Madrid, where he narrowly missed out on a spot in the final round.

The home crowd favorite, Czech climber Lukáš Mokroluský, provided one of the most memorable moments of the semi-final. After numerous attempts, he successfully topped the second boulder, drawing loud cheers from the Prague audience. Although he ultimately struggled on the final two problems and finished 13th overall, his determination and performance captivated the local fans.

While the semi-final round proved exceptionally demanding, it delivered several standout performances, dramatic moments, and tight margins between the top competitors. With the field narrowed and momentum building, the stage was set for an exciting men’s final in Prague.

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Men’s Bouldering Final

The 2026 World Climbing Prague men’s bouldering competition concluded with a thrilling final that saw the medal positions decided by mere tenths of a point.

Heading into the final boulder, Japan’s Sorato Anraku, South Korea’s Dohyun Lee, and France’s Mejdi Schalck remained locked in a tightly contested battle for the podium, with little separating the three athletes throughout the round.

Schalck electrified the crowd early by flashing the opening boulder with an innovative beta sequence that caught spectators by surprise. However, he was unable to maintain that momentum across the remaining problems and finished the final with a score of 54.7 points.

Lee then moved ahead of Schalck after delivering a flash on the third boulder. With the same number of tops and zones but fewer attempts overall, the South Korean climber edged into second place with 54.8 points—just one tenth of a point ahead of Mejdi.

Sorato Anraku ultimately proved the most efficient climber of the final. By carefully managing his attempts while matching the number of tops and zones achieved by his closest rivals, he secured a winning score of 55.0 points. The narrow margin was enough to earn him the gold medal and continue his impressive gold medal winning streak.

“I can’t explain this feeling. I cannot say this emotion.” When asked about how he feels about the fans cheering him on he said, “It’s just amazing. They inspire me to climb the boulder.”

Sorato Anraku, World Climbing interview

This win marked a historic first, making Sorato Anraku the first men’s climber to ever win four back to back gold medals in the World Cup.

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Want to Watch the Event?

Missed the live broadcast of the event? No problem! Watch the full 2026 World Climbing Prague men’s bouldering competition on YouTube through the World Climbing channel. The broadcast features complete coverage of the women’s and men’s bouldering semi finals and finals, allowing fans to relive the standout moments, impressive display of athleticism, and podium winning performances.

• Men’s Bouldering Semi-Final
• Men’s Bouldering Final

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For more information pertaining to the 2026 World Climbing Prague men’s bouldering results, location, videos, images, etc., please visit the main event page. This event will also feature women’s bouldering. The semi-finals and the finals for the women’s bouldering event will take place on June 6th. Please check out the event page for further details about this event.