World-renowned free-solo climbing legend Alex Honnold on Sunday scaled the 508-meter-tall Taipei 101 using only his hands. He reached the summit without wearing or using any safety equipment or climbing aids, setting a new record in free climbing history.

Honnold’s feat was livestreamed globally on Netflix, putting Taiwan in the extreme sports international spotlight. His climbing speed exceeded expectations; the scheduled livestream runtime was two hours, but he reached the lightning rod on top of the tower in just 1 hour and 33 minutes.

The event was originally scheduled for Saturday but was delayed to the following morning due to unfavorable weather. Large crowds of local and international spectators gathered around the skyscraper early Sunday morning for the chance to witness the historic climb up close.

This climb is considered the largest-scale urban free-solo climb in history. Honnold chose Taipei 101 not only because its structure makes it one of the few skyscrapers suitable for climbing, but also because obtaining official permission for such a climb is so rare.

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) congratulated Honnold on completing the challenge, saying that through this event, the world not only saw Taipei 101，but also the passion of Taiwan’s people and the beautiful hills and scenery surrounding the city.