China’s Long Jianguo shattered records with a lightning-fast 4.74-second climb to claim gold in the men’s four-lane speed climbing event at the Chengdu World Games – while Indonesia’s Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi raced to victory in 6.35 seconds for the women’s crown. This adrenaline-packed format made its multi-sport event debut, swapping Olympic-style head-to-heads for chaotic four-person races that had fans on the edge of their seats! 🧗♂️💨
⚡ Why Four Lanes = Next-Level Drama
Imagine four climbers scaling walls simultaneously – that’s the game-changing format athletes called "super fun" and "unpredictable." Long, a former World Cup champ, admitted even pros make mistakes: "In one run, my teammate and I both slipped. It’s about who keeps cool under pressure." The nail-biting final saw him as China’s sole representative against Indonesia’s Kiromal Katibin (silver) and Kazakhstan’s Rishat Khaibullin (bronze).
🇮🇩 Indonesia’s Golden Double Act
Desak’s victory wasn’t the only win for Indonesia – teammate Rajiah Sallsabillah grabbed bronze in the women’s event. China’s rising star Qin Yumei took silver with 6.42 seconds, proving Asia’s climbing dominance. "Four runs mean more chances to fix errors," noted USA climber Logan Schlecht – a feature athletes say makes this format more forgiving yet fiercely competitive.
🌍 What’s Next for Climbing?
IFSC Vice President Toru Kobinata called the Games a testing ground for innovation: "Four climbers racing = pure excitement! We’re studying how to evolve this." With physical demands higher than ever, this format could redefine competitive climbing – and judging by Chengdu’s electric atmosphere, fans are here for it! 🎉
