A misstep would mean certain death. The risk has shadowed Chinese ace high-wire walker Adili for at least 24 years but never ruins the five-time Guinness record holder's confidence to be the king on tightrope.

"I am no doubt the best tightrope walker in the world," said the 32-year-old Adili, the descendant of a Uygur family with a 430- year history in the acrobatics which is called "Dawazi" in west China.

Adili, who just broke a Guinness record by walking across Tiankeng, a wide crater in Chongqing in southwest China on August 22, was invited to show his skill in the demonstration event of the ongoing China's national minorities games here.

At Tiankeng, Adili walked along a steel rope measuring 1.1 inches thick and 687 meters (about 2,254 feet) long, and some 662 meters (about 2,171 feet) above the ground.

The previous record was set by Canadian Jay Cochrane who walked a tightrope strung about 402 meters (1,319 feet) above Yangtze River in east China in 1995.
Adili was deeply regretted for not being the first man to walk across Yangtze River.

"As you know, Cochrane went first and maybe you think he is better than me or he did something I could not," Adili said with a reluctant smile.

"But I will tell you a fact that I was the first man to apply for walking across Yangtze River. I planned to do it in 1994 but had to turn it down later due to lack of sponsorship.

"And I hope to complete the feat alongside Cochrane in 1995 but his deal included a provision that he would not perform unless I gave up.

"It's a pity for a Chinese aerialist who had to wait for a foreigner to make a history on his motherland due to some unintelligible reason."

Adili stunned the world in 1997 by taking 13 minutes and 48 seconds to repeat the Cochrane's feat over Yangtze River. The Canadian timed 53 minutes and 10 seconds in 1995.

"My next target is to walk across Niagara Falls," said Adili, who is to leave for Canada on September 13 to survey the site.

"After I see around the Niagara Falls, I will decide where to walk across. If nothing unexpected happens, I will walk across Niagara Falls next May," said Adili.
It may be the second challenge towards Cochrane who walked across Niagara Falls on tightrope in 2002.

"I don't think it's a copy to Cochrane's work. The crossing will be a bigger hit and prove that I am the king of tightrope world." Adili said.

Close

Today's Top News		Top Lifestyle News
+9/11 attack praised on new Bin Laden tape ( 2003-09-11) +US$1.3b to tackle loopholes on health ( 2003-09-11) +Beijing plans second int'l airport ( 2003-09-11) +Foreign debt jumps, but 'poses no threat' ( 2003-09-11) +Commentary: Pentagon's distorted view of China ( 2003-09-11)		+Adili,Chinese high-wire walker ( 2003-09-11) +Harvesting good nutrition ( 2003-09-11) +Newspapers have no space for news ( 2003-09-11) +Sleeping plans save money ( 2003-09-11) +Suicide, chief killer of young people ( 2003-09-11)