A post-90s guy “falls for” rock climbing, his cool moves win a girl’s heart.
Last weekend at the inaugural rock climbing invitational held in Wuhu, two rock climbing enthusiasts from Hefei University of Technology swept the top two spots. Notably, these two young climbers have been into the sport for no more than two years, yet they’ve already gained some recognition in Hefei’s climbing circle. Yesterday morning, during a conversation with the two climbers, reporters could feel the positivity, confidence, and energy that rock climbing has brought them.
“Falling for” rock climbing: an accidental encounter
Lin Zhiwei and Li Wenjie are third-year students at Hefei University of Technology. These two post-90s guys swept the top two spots at the inaugural Wuhu Rock Climbing Invitational last weekend.
For these two young men, their connection with rock climbing began just one or two years ago. Two years ago, Lin Zhiwei, who had just entered university, got into rock climbing influenced by the school. “At that time, there was a dedicated rock climbing club on campus, and we even had our own climbing wall. I often saw classmates scaling the wall like Spider-Man, and I wanted to give it a try, so I joined,” said Xiao Lin. In comparison, Li Wenjie started practicing rock climbing even later—around this time last year. During a trip, he happened to climb up a steep hillside. “I felt I was pretty good at it, and knowing there was such a club at school, I officially started learning rock climbing.”
Compared to other young people, Li Wenjie showed tremendous enthusiasm for rock climbing from the moment he started. Under the guidance of his teacher, Xiao Li trained about three times a week, repeatedly practicing every climbing movement. Even back in the dormitory at night, he would search online for various rock climbing instructional videos. “Back then, I basically had to change my climbing shoes once a month.” Hard work pays off. Although he started climbing much later than his peers, Li Wenjie has now become the top climber at his school, and even among the climbing community in Hefei, his skill level is among the best. “Starting from the simplest moves and gradually conquering climbs of increasing difficulty, I’ve constantly felt a sense of achievement,” Li Wenjie admitted in the interview, noting that he brings more passion and effort to rock climbing than most.
Rock climbing as matchmaker: a post-90s guy finds love
In yesterday morning’s conversation with reporters, Li Wenjie was rather shy, but once he stood before the familiar climbing wall, he fully revealed his sunny, bold, and commanding side. On the 15-meter-high climbing wall, Li Wenjie demonstrated various challenging moves for the reporters. The toughest was climbing the overhanging wall face, which required climbers to maintain an upward angle between their bodies and the ground—placing high demands on limb coordination and core strength. “Go for it, NICE!” Encouraged by his friends, Xiao Li eventually completed the climb successfully. After reaching the top, he let out a few excited shouts—it turned out this was the first time he’d conquered this tough “mission.” Riding the momentum, he went on to complete several bouldering routes.
“Rich guy, well done, you did great today,” Lin Zhiwei called out to him after the climb. As for why he called him “rich guy,” Xiao Lin explained, “It’s not because he’s wealthy. Nowadays, people who are really good at a certain activity can also be called that—he’s the ‘rich guy’ of our climbing circle.”
Undoubtedly, with his current climbing skills, Li Wenjie has become a role model for many fellow climbers. For himself, he also has idols he looks up to. “Chris Sharma and Ondra—they’re both international climbing masters, especially skilled at climbing natural rock faces.”
It’s been revealed that rock climbing has not only made these young people more positive, driven, and confident, but has also helped them find love. It turns out Li Wenjie won the heart of a female classmate with his impressive moves on the climbing wall, and now his girlfriend has also joined the school’s climbing club.
Hefei’s “rich guy” aims to make a name in national climbing competitions
By traditional standards, rock climbing is seen as a sport for the brave. So, does that mean those who are timid or afraid of heights can’t participate? Not at all. Li Wenjie told reporters that climbing can actually help you “build courage,” and for those with a fear of heights, gradually increasing the height of your climbs can help overcome the psychological barrier. At the same time, Xiao Li admitted that initially, his parents were also worried about whether climbing was dangerous—after all, climbing up and down walls 10–20 meters high, what if you fall? “This is also what I want to tell beginner climbers: always take proper safety precautions before climbing. Don’t just go climbing random hillsides in the wild. As long as you go to a proper climbing gym, there will be instructors to secure your ropes—you really don’t need to worry.”
It’s understood that the climbing invitational Li Wenjie participated in last weekend was his first major competition. Now, he has set his sights on next year’s National College Students Rock Climbing Competition. “I plan to start training four or five months in advance, hoping to prove my skills among the country’s top climbers.”
Actually, when it comes to the development of rock climbing in Hefei in recent years, as Chade Jun, the head of Hefei Rock Climbing Gym, put it: it’s still in its early stages. “There are probably only five or six climbers in Hefei with skills like Xiao Li’s.” However, according to Director Cha, in recent years, many children have developed a strong interest in rock climbing. “Climbing is actually very beneficial for kids. It helps foster ambition, self-confidence, and a fearless, determined attitude. It’s also great for improving physical coordination and balance.”