American speed climber Emma Hunt etched her name into the history books by becoming the first woman to complete the standard 15-metre speed climbing wall in under six seconds, setting a sensational new world record of 5.99 seconds at the World Climbing Series in Krakow, Poland. The landmark performance eclipsed the previous world record of 6.03 seconds.
The 23-year-old delivered her record-breaking climb during the quarterfinals, surpassing the previous mark held by Paris Olympic champion Aleksandra Mirosław, whose 6.03-second run had stood since the 2025 World Championships. Hunt’s climb marked the first time a woman has breached the six-second barrier in the discipline.
Although Hunt’s historic run stole the spotlight, she was unable to convert it into gold. She eventually claimed the bronze medal after falling short in the semifinals, while Indonesia’s Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi won the title and Poland’s Natalia Kałucka finished with silver.
Hunt has steadily established herself among the world’s elite speed climbers in recent years. A former World Games champion and reigning World Cup series winner, the American has consistently lowered her personal best and has been one of the biggest challengers to Mirosław’s dominance on the international circuit.
The world-record climb is another major milestone for the rapidly evolving sport, where athletes race side-by-side up an identical 15-metre wall, with races often decided in fractions of a second. Improvements in technique and training have seen records tumble frequently, but Hunt’s sub-six-second effort represents a historic breakthrough in women’s speed climbing.
With the 2026 season gathering momentum, Hunt’s record-breaking performance strengthens her credentials as one of the favourites for future global championships and adds another memorable chapter to the sport’s remarkable progression.
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