China's speed climbers continue to hit new heights on home soil

In the heart of Chongqing's Yuzhong district, where neon light climbs the slopes and the evening air carries the scent of spice and river mist, the Chongqing Datianwan National Fitness Center became a stage unlike any other. Red pavilions stood against the modern urban skyline as red lanterns swayed above the crowd.

Red climbing holds traced vivid lines up the wall, as if the city itself had painted the route for the world's fastest climbers.

It is here, in this striking fusion of professional sport and Bayu regional aesthetics, that the World Climbing Series Chongqing brought together speed, precision, and spectacle. The event drew 100 elite athletes from 21 countries and regions, all converging on a venue that blends Eastern and Western elements with a distinct cyberpunk sharpness.

Against this backdrop, the Chinese National Climbing Team delivered a performance of both power and poise. China secured gold in the women's speed relay and bronze in the men's speed relay, adding to an impressive overall haul of two golds, one silver and two bronze medals.

On a thrilling Sunday night, Fan Jingyue and Zhang Shaoqin led China to victory in the women's speed relay with a time of 12.97 seconds, defeating Indonesia and successfully defending their title. The win followed their recent triumph at the World Climbing Series Guiyang 2026. With Zhang hailing from Guizhou province and Fan calling Chongqing home, both got to celebrate victory on home soil.

"We only teamed up for these two competitions, and our consecutive wins are a testament to strong mutual trust and teamwork," Fan told China Daily. "We have deep trust in each other and try to share the pressure."

"I have participated in three consecutive events, and my body is quite tired," Zhang said. "After winning in Guiyang, we focused on physical recovery and adjusting our mindset, as the joy of the last victory is now in the past."

In the men's speed relay, Ukraine's Yaroslav Tkach and Hryhorii Ilchyshyn snagged gold with a time of 10.03 seconds after a false start by the team from the United States. China's second team, consisting Long Jinbao and Huang Jingjie, claimed bronze by beating Kazakhstan with a time of 10.11 seconds.

The competitions over the past two weeks have been incredibly challenging.

"I competed for three days in each event, giving 100 percent of my energy. This gold medal is well-deserved," Ilchyshyn said after his victory, adding: "It is very important for us and for our country."

On Saturday, China's Mou Yuju and Ling Yongzhi won gold in the mixed speed relay. One day earlier, in the individual speed event, US climber Emma Hunt clinched gold with a time of 6.13 seconds, while Zhang earned silver with a personal best of 6.30 seconds.

Japan's Ryo Omasa won the men's event, with Germany's Leander Carmanns and China's Zhao Yicheng taking silver and bronze, respectively.

The World Climbing Series Chongqing 2026, which kicked off on Friday was an A-level event, sanctioned by World Climbing, featuring five major events: men's speed, women's speed, men's speed relay, women's speed relay and mixed speed relay.

As well as the excitement on the wall, the venue itself garnered significant attention for its unique blend of professional sports facilities and the traditional architectural aesthetics of the local Bayu region.

"The competition venue was thoughtfully designed with a traditional Chinese style that blends seamlessly with this cyberpunk city. It is very popular among foreign athletes, and many consider it one of the best competition venues," said Zhang Haoran, sport manager of the climbing department of the Chinese Mountaineering Association.

Chongqing, which has previously hosted the World Climbing Series nine times, was the final China stop of the 2026 season's 13-leg series. The southwestern municipality has a proven track record when it comes to hosting climbing competitions, with three Asian Youth Climbing Championships and over 20 national-level competitions, such as the National Climbing Championships, under its belt, attracting thousands of top athletes from more than 50 countries and regions.