Under the lights of the 2025 Chengdu World Games, climbers from the Chinese mainland dominated the sport climbing speed events, capturing five of the six medals on offer.
In the men’s final, 19-year-old Chu Shouhong rocketed up the wall in just 4.80 seconds, outpacing a world-class field. On the women’s side, 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist Deng Lijuan clinched gold by a razor-thin margin. She crossed the finish line in 6.40 seconds, edging teammate Qin Yumei by a mere one-hundredth of a second.
The competition drew top talent from around the globe. Indonesia sent Olympic champion Veddriq Leonardo, while the USA lineup featured men’s world record holder Samuel Watson and leading women’s athlete Emma Hunt. Kazakhstan, Japan, and other nations also fielded their strongest squads, making Chengdu’s start lists as fierce as any Olympic qualifier.
From the Chinese mainland, two men and three women advanced to the semifinals. In the bronze-medal race, Zhou Yafei sprinted to a 6.31-second finish, narrowly defeating Indonesia’s Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi by three-hundredths of a second. That clean sweep of the women’s podium underscored the depth of talent on home turf.
“When the national anthem played and three flags were shown in front of me, I felt very excited and happy,” Deng reflected. “I didn’t think too much today; I just focused on doing my own job well and on every climb.”
This speed-climbing showcase highlights the rise of a new generation of athletes from the Chinese mainland and cements Chengdu’s status as a global sporting hub. For young global citizens, entrepreneurs, and adventure seekers, Chengdu 2025 has delivered a thrilling reminder that sports can unite cultures and inspire performance at every level.
Reference(s):
Chinese climbers sweep men's, women's speed gold medals at World Games
cgtn.com
