Feature: Firefighter's journey to coconut tree climbing national champion

by sportswriters Dong Yixing and Tian Guangyu

SANYA, China, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- On the second day of summer vacation during his high school sophomore year, Luo Jun received an unexpected call from his P.E. teacher.

"What did the teacher want you for?" his father asked.

"The teacher asked me to climb a coconut tree for a competition," Luo replied. "I had never seen my dad so happy before."

Born in Ledong Li Autonomous County in Hainan Province, Luo grew up in a home surrounded by coconut trees. From an early age, he often climbed them - sometimes to fetch coconuts for his father, especially when the elder Luo was drunk and thirsty. Despite occasionally being chased and scolded by his parents, Luo honed his climbing skills and his talent thrived.

One particularly tall tree, nearly 15 meters high, was a favorite of Luo's. "I was mischievous and fearless," he recalled. But safety concerns led his father to cut it down, though Luo's skills remained intact.

In 2014, Luo's abilities caught the attention of Li Qingping, who invited him to Sanya to train as part of a coconut tree climbing team. The training was grueling. "My whole body ached and only my head didn't hurt," Luo said, adding, "Even my hands trembled while eating."

At that time, the rules for coconut tree climbing competitions weren't well established, and competitors climbed real coconut trees barefoot. Luo's feet blistered and bled as he trained barefoot on real trees, and his knees and ankles suffered frequent injuries.

After just one month of training, Luo competed in the Fifth Hainan Provincial Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, earning fourth place individually and first as part of the Sanya team.

Ten years later, at China's 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities in Sanya, coconut tree climbing debuted as a national event. Competitors now climbed artificial trees - nine meters tall for men - using standardized shoes. Athletes raced to ring a timing bell at the top, with the fastest climber winning.

Luo, representing his hometown, felt the weight of expectations. "Competing in Hainan meant our goal was to keep the title here," he said. His confidence paid off. With flawless execution, Luo reached the bell in 6.188 seconds, claiming first place.

Over the years, as coconut tree climbing evolved from a local activity rich in Hainan's agricultural characteristics and ethnic features to a regional and then national sport, Luo also completed his growth and transformation from school to the military, and eventually became a firefighter in 2019.

Since then, Luo has balanced his athletic career with his work as a firefighter. His rigorous training regimen-running, weightlifting, and climbing high-rise buildings with 30 kilograms of gear strengthened his climbing prowess.

"Sometimes I walk past the coconut tree at the fire station while taking out the trash, I'll give it a try or climb it a bit just to stay in shape," Luo joked.

Yu Chunbo, an instructor at the fire station, said, "Sometimes after a full day of practice when everyone is resting, if Luo feels he hasn't practiced adequately or has issues with a particular move, he will stay late to practice more. In the workplace, he also actively volunteers for more challenging tasks."

"Due to our work, we can't be on-site to cheer him on, so we can only watch the competition via live stream. Our entire firefighting team is proud of him," Yu added.

Looking forward, Luo aims to promote coconut tree climbing nationwide, hoping to inspire more athletes and push the sport's limits. Over the years, times have steadily dropped, from over 20 seconds to Luo's record-breaking 6.188 seconds.

"I believe the next champion will break six seconds," Luo said confidently.