Congratulations to the Athletes of the Day on the final day of The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China: Yuki Hashimoto from Japan, winner of the thrilling Drone Racing Competition, and Chinese speed climber Deng Lijuan, who captured two gold medals. IWGA President José Perurena honored their achievements at the Closing Ceremony of the Games on Sunday night. Each athlete received a certificate and a watch courtesy of Tissot, along with a special gift from the Local Organizing Committee.
With a little luck: Yuki Hashimoto
Japan’s Yuki Hashimoto emerged as the ultimate winner among four contenders in the dramatic Drone Racing final, which featured several unusual accidents. “I think I had a bit of luck in the final,” admitted the 18-year-old pilot after securing the only gold medal in Drone Racing at these Games.
The details show what he was referring to. According to the rules, the first pilot to win two matches would be crowned champion. South Korea’s Minjae Kim took the first match with a decisive finish. Hashimoto, representing Japan, won the second. During the third match, both Kim and Liechtenstein’s Marvin Schapper crashed one after another. Kim’s drone even caught fire after colliding with an obstacle, forcing the suspension of the race. Both Kim and Schapper were eliminated, leaving just Hashimoto and Chun Yan Kwan from Hong Kong, China. Having already won the second match, the Japanese teenager crossed the virtual finishing line first in the replay of the third match. Hashimoto clearly benefited from Kim’s crash. Lucky, yes — but in sport it’s never only about luck. As the gold medalist explained: “I spent a lot of time preparing for this competition. In a way, I feel I deserved this win because of all the effort I put in.”
Twice as nice: Deng Lijuan
China topped the gold medal tally in sport climbing, winning five out of six golds. Two of them were awarded to Deng Lijuan. In the women’s speed relay, the home country showcased “China Speed” by breaking the world record three times. In the semifinals, Deng Lijuan and Zhou Yafei set a record of 13.28 seconds before advancing to the final. The women’s final turned into an all-Chinese showdown, with Deng and Zhou striking gold in 13.35 seconds. In the individual speed event on Thursday, the 25-year-old silver medalist from the last Olympics in Paris narrowly defeated teammate Qin Yumei by just 0.01 seconds, clocking 6.40. After being crowned champion at The World Games, Deng reflected: “Competing here for the first time has been transformative. Sport climbing has not only built my strength but also my confidence. I’ve realized that when you face challenges head-on, you never know how much strength you truly have until you give your best. This victory is especially meaningful because I was still recovering from an injury before the competition.”