Gripped Magazine
New Women’s Speed Climbing World Record
Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw broke her own world record en route to capturing her third women’s Speed World Championships title at the IFSC Climbing World Championships Seoul 2025. Coming through qualification nearly half a second ahead of her competitors, Miroslaw dominated the final series with flawless performances. The Polish Olympic champion progressively lowered her times in each round, culminating in a new world record of 6.03 seconds and securing the world title. After her victory, Miroslaw reflected, “This one is special. After the Olympics, the next year is tough for every athlete who took part, so I’m happy for this one. I think my hard work has paid off.”
In the semi-finals, Miroslaw faced China’s Zhou Yafei and emerged victorious, appearing almost relieved after the win. Memories of slipping at the same stage two years prior at the Bern 2023 World Championships might have lingered, but she dismissed such thoughts: “The last World Championships I was third, but honestly, I didn’t think about it. I just wanted to be here, now, and in the present and focus on the next step. I was just happy to be in the big final.” Her focus on the present propelled her to the final, where she delivered her record-breaking performance.
Miroslaw’s thoughts also turned to the significance of her new world record, though she emphasized her priority on titles over records: “Since I broke the world record the first time, I’ve never thought about it, I just want to run and do my job. For me, the most precious thing is titles, so here I just wanted to focus and go fast every single round.” Her determination paid off, as she not only claimed the gold but also achieved the triple delight of a world title and a new world’s best time. Joining her on the podium were two Chinese climbers, Deng Lijuan and Zhou Yafei, with the gold medal race mirroring the Paris 2024 final, where Miroslaw again bested Deng, who took silver with a time of 6.22 seconds.
Deng’s silver marked her first World Championships medal, earned after defeating home favourite Jeong Jimin in the semi-finals. Zhou, meanwhile, secured the bronze with a time of 6.34 seconds, narrowly beating Jeong’s 6.38 seconds in the third-place race. This bronze was also Zhou’s first World Championships medal, a significant milestone in her career. For South Korea, however, the wait for a Speed World Championships medal continues, as Jeong finished just off the podium in fourth place.
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