Alex Honnold Free-Climbs Taipei 101 in 91 Minutes, Sparks Widespread Attention Online

American climbing legend Alex Honnold successfully completed a free solo climb of Taipei 101 on January 25, reaching the top in just 91 minutes without ropes or safety equipment.

The entire climb was live-streamed by Netflix, drawing widespread attention not only in Taiwan but also across mainland China. The related topic quickly rose to the top of Weibo trending searches, where many users expressed admiration for Honnold’s courage and technical skill. Despite the intense pressure felt by viewers watching from below, Honnold appeared calm and confident throughout the climb. During the ascent, he briefly paused for an interview, describing the view as incredible and the experience as surreal. The historic moment was widely covered by Taiwanese media, while international outlets such as CNN also followed the climb closely with live updates. Online reactions ranged from shock and awe to humor, with some netizens joking about still being in bed while Honnold had already conquered the skyscraper. In addition to praising Honnold, some viewers also commented on the structural quality of Taipei 101’s exterior, noting its solid and well-built design. Attention was also drawn to Honnold’s wife, Sanni Honnold, who cheered him on throughout the climb and greeted him at the top with an emotional embrace, marking a memorable end to the challenge.