Lijuan Deng & Ludovico Fossali win Speed Climbing gold in Briançon

In the long history of IFSC World Cup events in Briançon, France, the Speed discipline have never been part of the programme – until now. After 13 consecutive years hosting Lead World Cup competitions, the beautiful city in the French Alps has finally seen the first sets of Speed medals awarded in its brand-new venue.

Despite many of the top-ranked athletes missing from the starting lists due to the proximity of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the competing climbers put on a show on a highly performing wall, with plenty of new personal bests being set, along with two continental records: Josh Bruyns of South Africa stopped the clock at 5.71 seconds, besting the time he previously set at last week’s World Cup in Chamonix, France; while Julian David of New Zealand continued his progression and wrote a new Oceania record in both of his qualification runs – first with 5.40, then with 5.26.

China’s Deng Lijuan won gold in the women’s Speed event and led an all-Asian podium that also included South Korea’s Jeong Jimin and teammate Zhang Shaoqin. Deng’s crescendo saw her close with four sub-seven and go from the time of 6.87 seconds she recorded in the round of 16, to the 6.62 in the following quarter-final, to the 6.48 with which she beat another Chinese climber, Wang Shengyan.

In the race for the gold medal, the 24-year-old from Beijing set a new personal best with 6.41 seconds, while Jeong had to settle for silver. The South Korean specialist also updated her own personal record and stopped the clock at 6.53. In the bronze medal race, Zhang Shaoqin bested Wang and placed third with 6.46 seconds.

"I am very happy," said Deng. "I can’t wait to be in Paris for the Olympics. This win gives me so much confidence."

"I’m so excited about winning silver," added Jeong. "It is the first silver in the history of my country, a record. So far, the best result was a third place, a bronze. I’m so happy."

The men’s Speed final also lived up to the expectations of the crowd, offering a neck-and-neck race for gold between two of the most experienced climbers in the circuit: Ludovico Fossali of Italy and Erik Noya Cardona of Spain.

Fossali, the 2019 men’s Speed world champion in Hachioji, Japan, ran his first-ever sub-five and won gold with 4.97 – equalling the current men’s European record and taking the second World Cup win of his career. Noya Cardona won silver with 5.06.

Fossali said: "It feels good, really good! It’s been a difficult year so far, I know that with consistency and time I could achieve my goals. I’m very proud of this, it helps me forget the first part of the season. It was my first sub-five, it feels pretty nice. I don’t usually watch the time, I just watch if it’s green or red."

The podium was completed by China’s Long Jianguo, who placed third after beating Germany’s Leander Carmanns in the bronze medal race. Long finished with 4.93, Carmanns with 5.06 – both set a new personal record.