A famous American climber on the 25th (local time) climbed to the top of Taipei 101 in Taiwan with bare hands, setting a major record by scaling one of the tallest buildings in the world.
According to CNN and other outlets, Alex Honnold, 40, a famous American climber, attempted the Taipei 101 climb during a public event in Taipei that morning and reached the 508-meter-tall building's summit in 92 minutes.
Honnold made a name for himself as a climber in his 20s. In 2017, he achieved the first ascent of the vertical granite wall El Capitan in Yosemite National Park using the free solo method, climbing alone without safety equipment, and drew worldwide attention.
That day, wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt and long pants, he began ascending the exterior wall of Taipei 101 from the ground with only a small pouch of chalk for grip attached to his waist. On the glass-and-steel facade of Taipei 101, Honnold moved upward using grabbable features such as protrusions on the building's edges, metal ornaments, and columns.
Netflix broadcast the entire process live. Large crowds gathered around the building, and inside, people filmed him from close to the windows.
Honnold paused to catch his breath at a balcony space located midway up the building. He waved to supporters, showing composure. His wife, Sanni McCandless, also watched his attempt from a designated space inside the building.
CNN said, "There were several technically demanding moves near the top, but Honnold handled them without major difficulty and moved quickly up the building."
Upon reaching the top, Honnold said, "Personally, the hardest part was staying calm," adding, "The presence of everyone around increased the tension." He continued, "I thought, 'This is really fun. This is why I do this,'" and added, "the most beautiful way to see Taipei."
He also noted, "Time is limited," and, "You have to use time in the best way."
There is a prior successful attempt on Taipei 101. In 2004, Alain Robert, known as the "French Spider-Man," attempted to climb the building during the official opening events for Taipei 101. However, due to factors such as bad weather, Robert relied on a rope to reach the summit. The climb also took about four hours, much longer than Honnold's 92-minute mark.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te wrote on his Facebook page, "It was truly moving," adding, "It made viewers' hearts race."