Historic Sub‑13‑Second Run Earns China Gold in Women’s Double Relay

Beijing – In a landmark performance at the World Climbing Series in Kraków, Chinese climbers Tang Lichuan and Zhou Yafei completed the women’s double speed relay in 12.89 seconds, setting a new world record and taking home the gold medal.

The event, introduced as part of the Speed Climbing Series within the Climbing World Cup, features four‑lane sprints, double relays and mixed relays for both men and women, marking their inaugural appearance on the World Cup circuit.

The pair’s semi‑final time of 13.02 seconds was already impressive, but they lowered it dramatically in the final, breaking the 13‑second threshold for the first time in women’s relay history.

China also dominated the men’s double relay, where Long Qian‑kuo and Chu Shou‑hong beat the American duo of Samuel Watson and Jack Hammer with an 11.07‑second finish, securing another gold. Earlier, Chao Yichang earned silver in the men’s individual sprint and, alongside Zhou, captured bronze in the mixed relay.

With two gold medals, one silver and one bronze, the Chinese team demonstrated its rising prominence on the international climbing stage.