Fang Shuanglong competes in the men's speed climbing event. [Photo/quzhoufb]

At the recent 5th Military World Winter Games in Lucerne in Switzerland, Fang Shuanglong, from Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, clinched the ninth spot globally and the top position in Asia in the men's speed climbing event.

Representing the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Fang set a record for the Chinese military in international competitions with an impressive time of 6.31 seconds.

This year's event brought together nearly 1,000 athletes from 43 countries and regions. The Chinese team, consisting of 64 athletes, competed in seven major events.

Born in 2000 in Quzhou, Fang displayed exceptional athletic talent from a young age. He joined the senior high school's climbing team due to his outstanding abilities, and while at college he excelled at several national competitions.

Despite not having undergone professional training for three years, Fang embarked on intensive preparation for the speed climbing event starting in September last year. Over 190 days, he climbed a cumulative height of 28,000 meters, wearing out six pairs of climbing shoes in the process.

Fang's dedication paid off as he improved his time from 10.3 seconds to 6.1 seconds, earning him a spot to represent China at the Games.

Despite an initial setback in the preliminaries, Fang showed resilience and determination, ultimately securing a remarkable finish in the finals.