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A member of the Shaoxing Youth Rock Climbing Team. [Photo provided by Shaoxing Youth Rock Climbing Team]

Shaoxing Youth Rock Climbing Team clinched the top spot with 27,940.33 points on the 2024 rankings for the National Youth Rock Climbing Series of China.

"This achievement didn't come easy," said Shao Haitao, head coach of the Shaoxing Youth Rock Climbing Team.

Formed in early 2018, the team now boasts 57 members. Compared to other cities in the province, Shaoxing's team got a late start. The initial batch of team members had no prior experience and went the distances just to catch up.

The year 2018 was a game-changer. Rock climbing was included in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, sparking public interest in this sport.

Early that year, Shaoxing had decided to form a youth rock climbing team capable of competing. Shao was brought on board as head coach. His first mission was to scour Shaoxing's primary and secondary schools for promising talent.

He faced plenty of rejections. "Many parents hesitated and ultimately declined our invitation when they heard it was for rock climbing, considering the sport both challenging and obscure," Shao recalled. 

Eventually, they selected only eight children with good physical fitness as the "first generation" team members.

Fast forward to today, and nearly 500 young people in Shaoxing are undergoing professional climbing training, with about 800 participating in school-based introductory experiences.

In 2024, Shaoxing Youth Rock Climbing Team won a total of 34 gold medals, 46 silver medals, and 30 bronze medals in major national and provincial competitions.

From eight to eight hundred, the numbers reflect significant growth, making Shao and his fellow coaches proud. Over the past six years, they have been thrilled to see more kids discover and fall in love with this sport that tests both strength and intelligence.

At last year's Paris Olympics, China won two silver medals in speed climbing, marking the country's first-ever Olympic medals in the sport.