Tag: Chu Shouhong

Firsts, Falls, and Fastest Runs: China Sweeps Gold at Guiyang Speed World Cup

Firsts, Falls, and Fastest Runs: China Sweeps Gold at Guiyang Speed World Cup

Lightning & Firsts: Guiyang Speed World Cup Delivers Golds, PBs, and Surprise Exits

China’s Guiyang stop of the IFSC Speed World Cup closed out the season with a volley of first-time winners, photo-finishes, and record-breaking heart. In front of a roaring home crowd, Chinese climbers stole both gold medals. But the story was far more than just home advantage—it was about razor-thin margins, mental grit, and unexpected exits.

Key Matches & Climbs

Women

  • Meng Shixue broke through in style. Her gold in Guiyang was her first ever World Cup medal, and it went to her in spectacular fashion on home soil with a time of 6.30 seconds, edging Jeong Jimin, who finished at 6.36 seconds.
  • Emma Hunt earned bronze after Zhou Yafei had a full fall in the bronze medal match—6.44 seconds was enough for Hunt to stand on the podium.
  • In the semifinals Meng had posted a personal best of 6.29 s over Hunt’s 6.35 s, setting up her gold-bout confidence. Jeong advanced past Zhou with 6.42 s vs 6.51 s.

Men

  • Chu Shouhong took gold with a personal best 4.79 seconds, beating Ryo Omasa (4.99) in the gold match.
  • Leander Carmanns grabbed bronze in a tight match, finishing at 4.98 seconds, just ahead of Yaroslav Tkach’s 5.11 in that bronze race.
  • Even earlier rounds were dramatic: Zach Hammer posted a sharp 4.959 s in the Round of 16. Tkach set a new European record in qualifications with 4.86 s. Ryo Omasa’s silver bumped him up to third in the overall speed standings.

Upsets, Slips & Storylines

  • Unexpected exits: Sam Watson (USA), the men’s world record holder, and Kiromal Katibin (Indonesia), the season leader, both went out in the Round of 16.
  • Slipping was epidemic. Nearly every round saw at least one athlete undone by a slip—especially in the early and middle sections. It made rhythm, reaction time, and composure more decisive than raw speed.
  • Firsts all around: For Meng, this was the breakthrough. Carmanns and Omasa solidified strong seasons by converting opportunities into podiums at just the right moment.

What It Means in the Big Picture

  • With his gold in Guiyang, Chu Shouhong clinches the men’s speed title in style.
  • On the women’s side, Emma Hunt secures the season title. Even though she wasn’t gold tonight, her consistency across events made her the overall champion.
  • Ryo Omasa’s silver lifts him into third in the overall season standings—he ends the year as part of a top-three that includes Katibin and Watson.