Short answer
The fastest man in speed climbing history is Zhao Yicheng (CHN), whose 4.54 seconds at World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 on May 10, 2026 is the men's world record. Next on the all-time list is Sam Watson at 4.60 seconds.
The 20 fastest men by personal best
Everyone here has climbed the 15-metre wall in 4.84 seconds or less in competition. Eight countries are represented; CHN has six, INA has five, USA has three.
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time (s) | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhao Yicheng | CHN | 4.54 | May 10, 2026 | World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 |
| 2 | Sam Watson | USA | 4.60 | Jul 4, 2026 | World Climbing Series Krakow 2026 |
| 3 | Aditya Tri Syahria | INA | 4.62 | Sep 30, 2026 | Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 |
| 4 | Long Jianguo | CHN | 4.64 | Sep 30, 2026 | Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 |
| 5 | Antasyafi Robby Al Hilmi | INA | 4.65 | Sep 11, 2026 | World Climbing Series Guiyang 2026 |
| 6 | Chu Shouhong | CHN | 4.67 | Sep 30, 2026 | Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 |
| 7 | Ryo Omasa | JPN | 4.70 | Jul 11, 2026 | World Climbing Series Chamonix 2026 |
| 8 | Raharjati Nursamsa | INA | 4.73 | Jul 6, 2025 | IFSC Climbing World Cup Kraków 2025 |
| 9 | Michael Hom | USA | 4.74 | Sep 18, 2026 | World Climbing Series Chongqing 2026 |
| 10 | Veddriq Leonardo | INA | 4.75 | Aug 8, 2024 | Olympic Games Paris 2024 |
| 10 | Kiromal Katibin | INA | 4.75 | Apr 26, 2025 | IFSC Climbing World Cup Wujiang 2025 |
| 10 | Ling Yongzhi | CHN | 4.75 | Sep 11, 2026 | World Climbing Series Guiyang 2026 |
| 13 | Damir Toktarov | KAZ | 4.76 | Sep 30, 2026 | Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 |
| 14 | Wu Peng | CHN | 4.77 | Aug 8, 2024 | Olympic Games Paris 2024 |
| 15 | Zach Hammer | USA | 4.78 | May 31, 2026 | World Climbing Series Comunidad de Madrid 2026 |
| 16 | Leander Carmanns | GER | 4.79 | Aug 29, 2026 | World Climbing Europe Championship Laval 2026 |
| 17 | Rishat Khaibullin | KAZ | 4.81 | May 12, 2026 | Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026 |
| 18 | Yang Jie | CHN | 4.82 | May 10, 2026 | World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 |
| 19 | Reza Alipour | IRI | 4.84 | Aug 8, 2024 | Olympic Games Paris 2024 |
| 19 | Aphiwit Limpanichpakdee | THA | 4.84 | May 10, 2026 | World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 |
Last verified November 13, 2026 against each athlete's World Climbing profile. Linked names open our full profile; the arrow next to any other name opens that athlete's World Climbing profile.
More names to know
Japan's Ryo Omasa ran his 4.70 in Chamonix in July 2026, then won the World Climbing Series round in Chongqing that September. Two men who raced at Paris 2024 sit outside the top 20: China's Long Jinbao, the 2023 world silver medallist, whose best is 4.90 from Chongqing in 2026, and Indonesia's Rahmad Adi Mulyono, bronze medallist at the same 2023 World Championships in Bern, at 4.97. Further back, Canada's Dylan Le has a best of 5.46 from the 2025 World Championships in Seoul.
How this list is built
We went through every senior speed result World Climbing has published since 2007, took the fastest athletes in each category, then read each one's personal best from their own World Climbing profile on November 13, 2026. That profile figure is the one ranked here, so a quick time from an unofficial event, a training wall or a timing glitch does not count. Times are shown to the hundredth, the way World Climbing shows them; athletes on the same time share a place and are listed by the date they ran it.
Questions people ask
Who is the fastest man speed climber?
The fastest man in speed climbing history is Zhao Yicheng (CHN), whose 4.54 seconds at World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 on May 10, 2026 is the men's world record. Next on the all-time list is Sam Watson at 4.60 seconds.
How many men have broken five seconds?
All 20 men on this list have personal bests under five seconds; the barrier first fell in 2023 when Veddriq Leonardo ran 4.98.
Is a personal best the same as a record?
Not always. A personal best is an athlete's fastest legal time. It becomes a world record only when it beats the existing mark at an event World Climbing recognises for records. PB versus record explains the difference.
How often is this list updated?
We re-check it whenever we re-check the record tables. The last check was November 13, 2026.