Chinese climber Long Jianguo made history on Thursday by securing the men's speed climbing gold medal at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Championships in Seoul, South Korea. The 22-year-old athlete's victory marks China's first men's speed climbing world title in 13 years, reigniting national pride in the sport.
Long dominated the competition with precision, completing each run in under five seconds. He defeated rivals from Ukraine, Spain, and Iran before clinching the final victory in 4.80 seconds—a mere 0.19 seconds ahead of Germany's Leander Carmanns. The win also earned Long a spot at the 2025 Asian Games in Aichi, Japan.
This achievement echoes the legacy of Zhong Qixin, China's last men's speed climbing world champion, who won four consecutive titles between 2007 and 2012. Long's success highlights China's growing influence in competitive climbing and sets the stage for future regional and global competitions.
