Hunt sets women’s speed climbing world record with 5.99 seconds

KRAKOW, Poland, July 4 — American climber Emma Hunt became the first woman to break the six-second barrier in speed climbing on Saturday, setting a world record of 5.99 seconds at the World Climbing Series Krakow.

Hunt eclipsed the previous world record of 6.03 seconds, set by Paris Olympic champion Aleksandra Miroslaw at the 2025 World Championships.

Unlike the traditional two-lane knockout format used at the Olympic Games and previous World Cup events, the Krakow stop features a four-lane format in which four climbers race simultaneously.