Team USA delivered one of the most memorable weekends in American speed climbing history at the World Climbing Series Kraków 2026, headlined by Emma Hunt becoming the first woman ever to break the six-second barrier. Across the weekend, Hunt reset the world record on her way to bronze, Samuel Watson claimed individual gold with a personal best, Hunt and Watson won the debut Speed Mixed Relay in world-record time, and Watson teamed with Zach Hammer for silver in the men’s Speed Relay. Four medals and two world records, capped on the Fourth of July.

Hunt Breaks the Six-Second Barrier

On July 4, Emma Hunt did what no woman had done before, stopping the clock at 5.99 seconds to break the world record and become the first woman in history to complete the 15-meter speed route in under six seconds. The run lowered the previous world record of 6.03 seconds, set by Paris Olympic champion Aleksandra Mirosław, and came in the debut of Speed’s new four-lane format, where four athletes race simultaneously.

Hunt earned bronze in the individual final, but the record was the story of the night, a milestone years in the making.

“It’s pretty crazy and exciting to have done this on Independence Day,” Hunt said. “I love Kraków. It’s the coolest venue, the crowd is huge and they do an amazing job running this event. Getting to do it here, and to do it with Sam, was more than I could ask for.”

Watson Races to Gold

Samuel Watson put together the fastest run of the men’s competition, a lifetime-best 4.60 seconds, to win gold in the men’s individual Speed final. The performance continued a breakout stretch for Watson, who has established himself among the fastest men in the world heading into the LA28 Olympic cycle.

A Historic Mixed Relay Gold

Hunt and Watson then teamed up for the inaugural Speed Mixed Relay, a discipline making its World Climbing debut. The pair broke the 11-second barrier with a world-record 10.89 seconds to win gold, the perfect finish to an unforgettable day for both athletes.

“250 years ago this great American experiment began, and to be here competing on the highest stage, to win and go head-to-head with this new format, is great,” Watson said. “It means a lot to do it on Independence Day. That was our best team hype-up moment, and we pulled it off as a team.”

Watson and Hammer Take Silver in Men’s Relay

Watson closed out the weekend alongside Zach Hammer, as the pair claimed silver in the men’s Speed Relay with a time of 11.72 seconds. The result gave Watson his third medal of the event, rounding out a dominant weekend for Team USA.

Full results from the World Climbing Series Kraków can be found here. You can rewatch the competition on World Climbing’s YouTube channel.

Follow @usaclimbing on social media for competition updates and behind-the-scenes action.