The 2025 Chengdu World Games have been a hotbed for record-breaking performances, with athletes shattering 18 world records and nine Games records since the competition launched last week in Chengdu, the heart of southwest China's Sichuan Province.
On the walls of the sport climbing arena, both the men's and women's team relay world records tumbled. China's climbers set a blistering 13.28 seconds in the women's relay, capping off a dominant run that saw them claim five of the six gold medals on offer.
But the real wave of history took place at the Chengdu Sport University Sancha Lake Campus Natatorium. Dubbed the venue with the “highest record-breaking density,” it witnessed 16 world records and nine Games records across three high-adrenaline water disciplines.
In finswimming alone, athletes blitzed through seven world records and nine Games records. The highlight? The Chinese women's 4Ă—50m surface relay squad, which surged to gold while rewriting both world and Games statistics.
Freediving competitors also made their mark: world records fell in the women’s dynamic with fins and women’s dynamic without fins events, showcasing the human body's remarkable underwater potential.
The lifesaving pool, meanwhile, belonged to Europe’s best, who claimed all seven new world records in challenging rescue-simulation races that blend athleticism with real-world skills.
As the final day approaches, anticipation is building for the closing ceremony at Chengdu's International Friendship Pavilion in the International Horticultural Exhibition Park. Young fans, tech enthusiasts, and global citizens alike are counting down to celebrate an event that has pushed the limits of human performance.
With 18 world and nine Games records broken, the 2025 Chengdu World Games has set a new bar for excellence—just the beginning of what promises to be an unforgettable sports festival.
Reference(s):
18 world and nine Games records broken at Chengdu World Games
cgtn.com
