Amélie Kägi of Switzerland and Nakata Kazuki of Japan claimed the Under 17 Boulder titles at the World Climbing Youth Championship in Arco, Italy. Kägi earned her third gold medal of the season, while Nakata added Boulder gold to the Lead title he won two days earlier.

KÄGI HOLDS OFF TAN IN A 0.2-POINT THRILLER

Kägi topped the first three Boulders to take women’s U17 gold with 84.1 points, just 0.2 ahead of China’s Tan Youtian, who also topped the opening three boulders but required more attempts to finish on 83.9.

The victory marks Kägi’s third gold of the season, following wins at World Climbing Europe Youth Series events in Soure, Portugal, and Sukoró, Hungary. China’s Li Meini took bronze with 69.2 points, securing her second medal in Arco after also finishing third in Lead.

NAKATA COMPLETES THE BOULDER-LEAD DOUBLE

Nakata topped all four Boulders to score 99.3 points and complete an Under 17 Lead and Boulder double at the Youth Worlds. Japan’s Saiki Taketo took silver with 74.7 points after failing to score on the opening Boulder but topping each of the remaining three. It is Saiki’s second silver medal at the event, following his second-place finish in Helsinki, Finland, last year, and his second medal in Arco after bronze in Lead.

After his win Nakata said: "I wasn’t that confident coming into the final, but I managed to top the first boulder, and I got a little bit. I topped the second and the confidence just kept growing, and from there it just kept on getting better and better throughout the rest of the round."

South Korea’s Lee Hayool completed the podium with 59.5 points. Like Nakata and Saiki, he leaves Arco with two medals, having also won silver in Lead.

NEXT UP

The World Climbing Youth Championship Arco 2026 will conclude today wuth tomorrow with the U19 Boulder semi-finals and finals.

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