Ningbo sport climber advances to quarterfinals in Paris Olympics

Zhou Yafei competes at the Paris Olympics. [Photo/IC]

On Aug 5, athlete Zhou Yafei from Ningbo gave an impressive performance in the women's speed climbing event at the Paris Olympics, securing a spot in the quarterfinals.

The speed climbing competition challenges athletes to scale a 15-meter-high climbing wall as quickly as possible, with the fastest climber emerging victorious. The format consists of qualification seeding heats, followed by a single-elimination bracket system where athletes face off in pairs until the ultimate champion is crowned.

During the qualification seeding heats, Zhou encountered an unexpected setback in her first attempt when the timer malfunctioned, failing to record her time. However, she bounced back with determination in the replay, clocking an impressive 6.54 seconds. In her second attempt, Zhou achieved a personal best of 6.389 seconds, breaking the national record.

In the elimination rounds, Zhou faced a tough challenge from Italian athlete Beatrice Colli. The two climbers engaged in a thrilling neck-and-neck race, with Zhou ultimately prevailing with a time of 6.55 seconds, securing her a place in the quarterfinals.

The women's speed climbing quarterfinals, semifinals, and final are all scheduled to take place on Aug 7, with Zhou poised to continue her impressive run and potentially reach even greater heights.