How Did Germany Dominate Canoe Polo While China Swept Speed Climbing Relay?

Chengdu (China), Aug 16 (NationPress) Germany showcased its prowess in canoe polo, while the host nation, China, dominated the speed climbing relay by clinching all available gold medals and also secured its inaugural gold in roller sports during another thrilling Day 10 at the World Games on Saturday.

Germany reinforced its strength in canoe polo by winning both the men's and women's gold medals contested on Saturday. In the women's final, Germany faced a robust defensive challenge from New Zealand initially. However, with determination, they broke the deadlock to establish a 1-0 lead.

After halftime, Germany maintained their grip on the game, scoring three additional goals to conclude the match with a decisive 4-0 victory, as reported by Xinhua.

In the men's final, Germany took advantage of two swift break opportunities in the first half, building a 2-0 lead. This early advantage proved crucial, allowing them to ultimately defeat Italy 3-1 and secure the second gold medal.

“Our German league is exceptionally strong, the best in the world. Every player, male or female, aspires to compete in this league. This attracts top national team players from across Europe, enhancing the league's quality,” said Germany's team manager, Lukas Enzo Richter.

The host nation, China, concluded the climbing events at the World Games on Saturday by sweeping the men's and women's speed relay finals, earning five out of six available gold medals.

The relay is a new format making its first appearance at a major international competition, pairing two climbers per team. The second climber begins only after the first hits the timing pad at the summit, with the combined time determining the outcome. This competition also set the first-ever world records in both men's and women's categories.

The men's event featured prominent names in the sport. American Samuel Watson, the individual world record holder, alongside teammate Zachary Hammer, faced off against China's Chu Shouhong and Long Jianguo—both fresh off individual gold wins—in the semifinals. Watson, managing a shoulder injury, delivered a flawless performance, but Hammer's slip allowed the Chinese duo to advance to the finals.

In the final, the Chinese pair faced another American duo, 18-year-old Michael Hom and 17-year-old Logan Schlecht. Both teams performed flawlessly, but Chu and Long triumphed with a time of 10.26 seconds, each earning their second gold medal of the Games.

Watson and Hammer rebounded to secure bronze against Indonesia's Veddriq Leonardo and Alfian Muhammad Fajri, setting a new world record of 10.06 seconds.

In roller sports, Zhang Hao achieved China's first gold medal as the inline freestyle skating events commenced on Saturday. In an all-Chinese men's speed slalom final, Zhang triumphed over Fu Yu with a score of 2-0, while Reza Lesani of Iran claimed bronze by defeating compatriot Amirmohammad Savari Jamalouei.

“I am extremely excited and thrilled to deliver my usual performance,” said Zhang, expressing the added pressure of competing in his hometown.

Chinese Taipei's Liu Chiao-Hsi secured gold in the women's speed slalom, with China's Zhu Siyi and Wen Jingjing finishing second and third, respectively. “This is my first international competition since turning 18, and I gave it my all,” Zhu, a silver medalist at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, added, promising to enhance her strength and stability.

In speed slalom, athletes must accelerate over a distance of 12 meters before maneuvering around 20 cones spaced 80 centimeters apart. A penalty of 0.2 seconds is deducted for knocking down any cone or failing to navigate any interval.

The roller sports segment at the Chengdu World Games features three disciplines: speed skating (both road and track), inline freestyle, and inline hockey. Two more freestyle skating gold medals will be awarded on Sunday.