TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Professional climber Alex Honnold reached the top of Taipei 101 on Sunday, completing a free solo ascent of the skyscraper without ropes or safety harnesses.
Netflix broadcast the climb globally in a live special titled "Skyscraper Live." While the event took place on Sunday in Taiwan, it aired on Saturday for viewers in the United States.
The climb was originally scheduled for Friday, Jan. 23, but bad weather pushed the event back to Sunday.
Before the climb, Honnold told Netflix’s news site that scaling a skyscraper is a unique challenge compared to natural rock formations. He explained that buildings are typically steeper than the cliff faces he usually climbs.
After the successful ascent, Honnold’s wife, Sanni McCandless, spoke about the stress of watching the event. She told him she felt like she was having a "panic attack" during the climb.
Honnold is widely known for his 2017 achievement as the first person to free solo El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. That feat was featured in the 2018 film "Free Solo," which won an Academy Award.
Honnold has been a professional climber since 2007. He first started training in climbing gyms when he was five years old. He also hosts a podcast titled "Climbing Gold."
In 2012, the athlete established the Honnold Foundation. The non-profit provides support for solar energy projects around the world.