Olympic inclusion gives rock climbing a boost

The announcement that rock climbing will be included in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games has given the climbing business in China a boost, with the sport becoming a new fashionable workout for Chinese youngsters.

In 2017, about 100 new rock climbing clubs were started in the country, taking the total number to about 350, according to Sohu.com. The number of coaches has also increased by 52 percent in 2017, compared with 2016.

"We conducted detailed research before we started the rock climbing club. Our research showed us there was a surging market as the number of similar clubs doubled in Beijing last year, and sales of climbing shoes rose by 20 percent," said Wei Junjie, who established his own rock climbing club Rock Hour in Beijing last year and was one of the first to practice and promote the sport.