Ukrainian rock climber Hryhorii Ilchyshyn set a European speed record
Ukrainian athlete Hryhorii Ilchyshyn achieved a phenomenal result in the first stage of the prestigious 2026 World Climbing Series, currently taking place in Wujiang, China.
This was reported by the press service of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.
The Odessa-based climber officially became the fastest on the continent, setting a new European record in the “speed” discipline.
During the qualifying round on May 10, the Ukrainian covered the vertical distance in an impressive 4.841 seconds.
This time allowed him not only to take sixth place in the overall qualifying standings but also to write his name into the history of European sports.
The previous record was 4.86 seconds and was held by two athletes—another Ukrainian representative, Yaroslav Tkach, and German climber Leander Karman.
Grigory Ilchishin surpassed this mark by 0.019 seconds, cementing the Ukrainian climbing school’s leadership.
It is worth noting that the competition in China was a landmark event for world sports in general. At the same tournament, 16-year-old Chinese athlete Zhao Yichen set a new world record, clocking 4.54 seconds in the semifinals.
This underscores the exceptionally high level of competition in this season’s World Climbing Series.
For Hryhorii Ilchyshyn, the path to the finals proved to be difficult. In the round of 16, he faced reigning Olympic champion Veddric Leonardo.
Despite putting up a good fight, the Ukrainian lost to his renowned opponent, but his qualifying record became the main sensation for the European climbing community.
The press service of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine has already congratulated the athlete and his coaching staff on this achievement.
Grigory’s success confirms that Ukrainian climbers remain among the world’s elite and are serious contenders for top-tier awards.
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