As 32 years old, Erik Noya was elated after achieving a goal he had been fighting for for a long time: getting under five seconds. “Incredible. I feel like my heart is going to explode. I can’t express how proud I am of myself. because I achieved a time of less than five seconds in the competition and I reached the final,” said the Spanish climber of Venezuelan origin.
Noya achieved it in qualifying for the first World Series of the season, in the Chinese city of Wujiang, the fastest in history. And it is that The Spaniard, despite his incredible time of 4.94 – the most demanding cut in history was the 5.09 of Chamonix 2025 -, placed sixteenth and last in the final.
The goal is to keep up the pace. Lately the level is rising too fast
“The goal is to maintain the pace. Lately the level is rising too quickly. I am very proud and happy to do it for myself and for Spain“said the world and European medalist after his new Spanish record in statements to the official media of the International Climbing Federation (World Climbing).
The Chinese will also be in the final Yicheng Zhaonew world record holder at just 16 years old, and the American Sam Watsonformer holder of the record. There is also the current Olympic champion, the Indonesian Veddriq Leonardoand the current world champion, the Chinese Jianguo Longwho achieved the best time (4.71).
Male finalists
1 Jianguo LONG (CHN) 4.71
2 Yicheng ZHAO (CHN) 4.76
3 Samuel WATSON (USA) 4.79
4 Ryo OMASA (JPN) 4.81
5 Jie YANG (CHN) 4.82
6 Hryhorii ILCHYSHYN (UKR) 4,841
7 Aphiwit LIMPANICHPAKDEE (THA) 4,842
8 Raharjati NURSAMSA (INA) 4,845
9 Kiromal KATIBIN (INA) 4.87
10 Aditya TRI SYAHRIA (INA) 4,881
11 Veddriq LEONARDO (INA) 4,888
12 Michael HOM (USA) 4,911
13 Yaroslav TKACH (UKR) 4,913
14 Yongzhi LING (CHN) 4.92
15 Peng WU (CHN) 4.93
16 Erik NOYA CARDONA (ESP) 4.94
