From cue sports to climbing walls, day 8 at The World Games 2025 had it all: Precision, power, and speed.
Billiards champions rose as first-time finalists, while France’s Benjamin Choquert claimed a dramatic duathlon gold.
Ukraine’s kickboxers and powerlifters flexed their strength whilst Uzbekistan’s sambists dominated on the mat.
There was plenty home joy too as China’s athletes ruled the sport climbing podiums, completing a sweep in both the men and women’s speed discipline gold and bronze medal matches.
Billiards
In a showdown of dreams, Oliver Szolnoki (HUN)—a former junior world-title holder who’d never reached an international final until now, his previous best being a 2021 WPA Nine-Ball semis—clinched Pool gold with a gritty 9-7 win over Gerson Martinez (PER).
The Peruvian, playing in the biggest match of his life and making his first international final appearance, almost overturned a deficit before bowing out honourably.
Meanwhile, Cho Myungwoo (KOR) dominated the three-cushion final 40-22, Zhang Taiyi (CHN) edged out Jason Theron (RSA) 5-3 in a thrilling Heyball mixed duel, and in snooker, Xiao Guodong (CHN) triumphed 2-1 over Michael Georgiou in a tight tactical battle.
Duathlon
France’s Benjamin Choquert claimed gold in a nail-biting finish at today’s Men’s Individual Duathlon at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, crossing the line in 1:14.14 s—just 9 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Arnaud Dely.
Silver went to Dely in 1:14:23, while his compatriot Vincent Bierinckx (BEL) rounded out the podium in bronze at 1:14:33, giving Belgium an impressive second through fourth sweep behind Choquert (Thibaut De Smet in fourth).
Choquert, the reigning duathlon world champion—having secured his title in Pontevedra earlier this year—now adds a World Games gold to his accolades.
Kickboxing
In a display of razor-sharp technique, Hlib Mazur (UKR) clinched the men’s K1 −63.5 kg title with a clean 3–0 win over Azerbaijan’s Amin Guliyev, reinforcing Ukraine’s pedigree in the ring.
Italy’s Federica Trovalusci delivered a commanding performance in the women’s point-fighting −50 kg final, dismantling Aybüke Kılınç (TUR) 10–2—a scoreline that reads like the statement of intent that it was.
Yulia Sachkov (ISR) claimed K1 −52 kg women’s gold with a perfect 3–0 shutout of Klára Strnadová (CZE).
In the men’s +91 kg heavyweight K1 final, Roman Shcherbatiuk (UKR) overpowered Türkiye’s Emin Özer 3–0, adding another chapter to Ukraine’s burgeoning dominance across multiple divisions in Chengdu.
Powerlifting
In the men’s lightweight showdown, Joseph Jordan (ISV) edged out Kyota Ushiyama (JPN) by a razor-thin 2.5 kg for gold—720 kg to 717.5 kg—with Clifton Pho (CAN) securing bronze at a solid 700.5 kg.
On the women’s lightweight side, Tiffany Chapon (FRA) stood tall with a commanding 450 kg total, just ahead of New Zealand’s Megan-Li Smith (482.5 kg) and Evie Corrigan (477.5 kg)—though intriguingly, the heavier lifts reflect a tighter points battle not seen at first glance.
Meanwhile, in the middleweight ranks, Jurins Kengamu (GBR) ruled the men’s division with a dominant 872.5 kg haul, leaving Enahoro Asein (HUN) at 817.5 kg and Kjell Egil Bakkelund (NOR) at 775 kg in his wake.
On the women’s middleweight platform, Sweden’s Alba Boström lifted her way to gold with 565 kg, followed by Italy’s Sara Naldi (530 kg) and Great Britain’s Joy Chinonso Nnamani (527.5 kg)—a clean podium that crowned Boström’s precision and power.
Sambo
In the -54 kg finale, Gulsevar Urakova (UZB) delivered a measured, masterful performance to defeat Venezuela’s Luisaigna Campos 3–1 by victory points.
In the men’s -64 kg bout, Sheikh-mansur Khabibulaev, a reigning multiple World Champion, imposed his dominance with a clear 3–0 total victory over Kazakhstan’s Maratbek Rakhmetollin.
On the women's side, Ulbossyn Adilova (KAZ) powered through to a convincing 4–0 TV win in the -80 kg final against Mavluda Abdullaeva (UZB), while in -98 kg, Arman Avanesyan (ARM) snatched gold in a tight 3–2 TV tussle over Magomed Gasanov.
Team glory followed, as Uzbekistan’s women and Ukraine’s men each swept Kazakhstan 2–0 in the team finals.
Speed Skating
Blistering duels at Chengdu’s roller track saw Ivonne Sarai Nochez Gallardo (ESA), once an artistic roller-skating prodigy turned speed on inline skates, dart to 18.698 s for gold in the Women’s 200 m Dual Time Trial.
Jhoan Sebastian Guzman Bitar (ESP) zipped to a 17.164 s victory in the men’s counterpart, underlining Spain’s sprinting dominance.
In the endurance bouts, Gabriela Rueda (COL) (7:30.919) and Julio César Mirena Ortiz (PAR) (7:04.350) triumphed in the gruelling Women and Men’s 5,000 m Point Races.
Sport Climbing
At Tianfu Park, 18-year-old Chu Shouhong (CHN), climbing with poise beyond his years, blasted to gold in the men’s Speed Single final in 4.80 seconds, narrowly besting U.S. Olympic bronze medalist Samuel Ryan Watson, a timely reminder that China’s next-gen stars are rising fast.
In the women’s duel, Deng Lijuan (CHN), fresh off her Olympic silver in Paris, edged compatriot Qin Yu Mei by a single hundredth of a second (6.40 to 6.41), proving once again why she’s one of China’s speed-climbing powerhouses.
The bronze rounds delivered drama too—Zhou Yafei (CHN) dipped just ahead of Indonesia’s Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi (6.31 vs. 6.34), and in a curious twist, Long Jian Guo secured the men’s bronze final with 4.83 seconds after an earlier faster time in semis.
Once more, China topped the speed-climbing podium across both genders, affirming their mastery on home turf.