National Climbing Championships kicks off in SE China

GANZHOU, China, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The 29th Chinese National Climbing Championships kicked off in Quannan County of southeast China's Jiangxi province on Thursday as a trial event for the Chinese climbers for the Paris Olympic Games.

The first match day saw Olympian climber Pan Yufei, who represented Hubei, claim the first title of the championships as he won the men's Boulder with three tops and four zones.

Guangdong's pair Yao Jinwei and Hu Juanzhe joined Pan on the podium with second and third finishes respectively.

Pan, the title holder of the men's combined Lead &Boulder event at China's 14th National Games, said his goal for the year is to earn a better position on the international stage after grabbing his first gold in 2023.

"I set a goal for myself before this competition and I'm satisfied with my performance today," said Pan, adding that he would keep training hard to get ready for the international competitions.

In women's Boulder, Guangdong's Zhang Yuetong overcame her long-time rival Luo Zhilu representing Shaanxi in the final with three tops and three zones.

Mi Yawen from Hubei took the bronze.

According to the qualification system published by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the fastest seven male and seven female speed climbers at the championships will be selected for the national team, while the combined Lead &Boulder team will have four male and four female climbers according to their comprehensive performances at the championships.

The competition will last until March 21.