Boulder wrapped up the IFSC Climbing World Championships in Seoul, where 11 US athletes competed and Melina Costanza earned her first Elite World Championships podium.

Costanza Claims Bronze at First World Championships

Melina Costanza is a household name for climbing fans in the United States. After all, she won National Team Trials this year and the YETI National Championships for the last two years. But she has never before competed in an Elite World Championships, and she’s never made a World Cup Final, which led some of the international audience in Seoul to ask, “Where did she come from?”

Returning from an LCL injury, it’s fair to call Costanza the underdog in Seoul—she even told us that, when she made the Semi-Final, her only goal was to not finish last.

“This is above my expectations. It was a long season watching everyone else do World Cups and sitting at home being injured, but I think it motivated me,” Costanza said. “I got here and was ready to let it rip.”

Costanza absolutely did ‘let it rip,’ topping the first boulder in just two attempts, and then flashing the third boulder (she was one of only four competitors to do so). That gave her a total of 59.8 points, enough for the bronze medal.

Meanwhile, Annie Sanders stepped up to Boulder Finals just 24 hours after competing in the Lead Finals. She reached the zone on all four boulders but couldn’t secure a top, finishing with 39.3 points. That placed her 7th overall.

Also representing Team USA were Helen Gillett in 26th, Nekaia Sanders in 33rd, Kyra Condie in 39th, and Adriene Akiko Clark in 43rd.

Duffy and Hanna Both Enjoy First Boulder Semi-Final at World Championships

Colin Duffy fought through 10 attempts to top the first boulder, then quickly dispatched the second boulder, topping on his first attempt. He would go on to secure one more zone on the third boulder, finishing with 59.1 points and placing him 12th overall. Seoul was his second World Championships appearance and his first time in the Boulder Semi-Final.

Ben Hanna also made his first Boulder Semi-Final at the World Championships, an event he last appeared at in Moscow in 2021. With four zones, he earned 39.1 points and finished 22nd.

“I constantly struggle with feeling like I’m getting too old for this, but also I’m in my best shape and having my best results,” Hanna told us after the round. “I made my first IFSC Semi-Final in 2022. This is my first year making two Semi-Finals and I’m very excited to make my first Final. I wish it wasn’t such a long process, but it’s nice to keep improving and see that process through.”

Also representing Team USA were Zander Waller in 46th, Vail Everett in 47th, and Adam Shahar in 59th.

Full results from the IFSC Climbing World Championships Seoul 2025 can be found here. You can rewatch the Finals on the IFSC YouTube Channel.

Follow @usaclimbing on social media for competition updates and behind-the-scenes action.