(Reuters) – Teenager Ai Mori made history after becoming the youngest Japanese medalist at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Championships, winning the bronze medal in the women’s lead competition in Hachioji on Thursday.
Mori, aged 15 years and 10 months, broke the previous record held by Akiyo Noguchi who also won the bronze medal in the event aged 16 in 2005.
Making her senior debut at the event, Mori finished third behind the Slovenian pair of Janja Garnbret, who swept the Bouldering World Cup this year, and Mia Krampl.
“I’m happy I finished on the podium. I was able to climb higher because of all of the support,” Mori was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.
In the men’s competition, Czech Republic’s Adam Ondra won the gold, narrowly beating Germany’s Alex Megos and Austria’s Jakob Schubert.
Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge
