The only way is up for Zhao

"It (the mistake) might have looked random, but I think there was a mental block," he recalled. "Even without pushing my limit, I tensed up. I knew I was faster than my opponent, but I feared my own errors more than anything they could do."

"Fifth place rattled me. I hadn't tasted failure for so long. You need to learn how to fall before you can fight your way back up."

Zhao's response came this March in Baisha. After his first full winter training camp with the national team — initially focused on strength, before shifting to climbing drills — he emerged transformed.

"This winter brought major strength gains. Full-body power improved my movement execution," Zhao explained.

"The team's environment pushed me to train smarter. The nation's best climbers are here, and every session demands your absolute best. We push each other, but also enjoy the grind."

The results stunned. Two runs, two records, and a signature midair fist pump. His first post-winter competition saw an improvement from 4.9s to 4.6s.

"I knew this level was possible," said Zhao, who had hit 4.7 seconds in training.

"After reviewing footage with coaches, we found areas to improve. I thought 4.6 seconds was achievable, but not this soon. Today's performance surprised even myself."

Yet the boy, who scales walls faster than most sprint flats, remains grounded in earthly rhythms.

Between training sessions, he devours books on history, escapes into sci-fi epics and has even delved into a biography of Kobe Bryant.

"Reading helps me quiet my mind and think independently — it sheds some of my restlessness," Zhao said. "Climbing isn't just physical. It's a mental game. Without active thinking, you can't reach the top level in any sport."

For now, international arenas have to wait, as age rules bar him from the 2025 global circuit — a delay he embraces. "One year of preparation is good. It will make me mentally stronger and more consistent. Next year, I'll compete internationally in peak form, striving to win honors for my country."

"The next Olympics are over three years away. Four-and-a-half seconds isn't my ultimate goal. I'll chase faster times. It's a milestone, not the finish line," Zhao said.

True to his word, he rebranded again, just one week after stripping his profile name to mere initials. The new name"4.5toZYCfe" seems like a digital countdown to his next conquest.

Somewhere, Watson's clock ticks. But right here, right now, there's only a teen, a wall and milliseconds melting like wax.

Xinhua