6th Asian Beach Games (Sport Climbing)
This is where the 2026 season detonated. In qualification on April 28, a 16-year-old Chinese climber named Zhao Yicheng ran the 15-meter wall in 4.58 seconds, a new men's world record, taking down the 4.64 that American Sam Watson had held since the 2025 World Cup in Bali.
It was Zhao's first senior international start. A three-time world youth champion, he backed the record up by winning gold after Indonesia's Antasyafi Robby Al Hilmi false-started in the decider. Kazakhstan's Rishat Khaibullin took bronze.
On the women's side, China went one-two: Zhou Yafei took gold ahead of Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Deng Lijuan, a statement of just how deep the Chinese women's squad has become.
The record would last exactly twelve days.
The podium.
CHN
INA
KAZ
Zhao Yicheng
4.54s
At 16-17 he already owns the world record and is the clear favorite every time he steps to the wall. The first sub-4.5s run may well be his.
Deng Lijuan
6.18s
A proven Olympic-podium woman leading a very deep Chinese women's speed squad.
Zhou Yafei
Sub-6.4s class
China's in-form woman on the domestic swing and a live threat to Hunt and Mirosław for global gold.
Results verified against multiple sources; unconfirmed times and placements are omitted rather than guessed. Official event info →
Full results, every climber.
Every finisher and their best time. Click any climber to see what they've done in past events.
40 climbers
JPN
THA
KOR
IRI
SGP
KUW
PHI
KGZ
TPE32 climbers
Full field and times from ifsc.results.info. Click any climber for their full record.