When South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun and Great Britain’s Erin McNeice stepped onto the IFSC Lead World Cup Wujiang podium to share a joint gold medal in the women’s competition, everyone was asking the same thing – how this happened before?

The simple answer is, yes. It’s not common, but it’s happened maybe more than you think.

Wujiang 2025 was the first time it has happened under the new scoring system that was implemented for this season, but under previous rules it has happened a few times, so, let’s take a look.

Wujiang, China 2018

The most recent time was actually in the same city of Wujiang. Currently the event is indoor, but in 2018 it was held outside. Bad weather during the women’s final meant that the round had to be cancelled and the results from semi-final used for the final standings. Two of the sport’s biggest names shared the gold that day with Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret and South Korea’s Kim Jain both topping qualification and reaching hold 36+ in the semi-final.

Barcelona, Spain 2011

2011 was a big year for shared medals, and Kim Jain was involved yet again. This time she shared the top spot with Slovenia’s Mina Markovic and Austria’s Angela Eiter. All topped every route throughout the rounds.

Changzhi, China 2011

It’s those names again. Earlier in the 2011 season Kim and Markovic had already shared a gold, again in China, again topping every route through the rounds. The pair would keep each other company on the top step again in Changzhi.

Chamonix, France 2011

Kim, Markovic and Eiter started the gold sharing even earlier in the 2011 season when all graced the top step of the podium, but this time also with France’s Caroline Ciavaldini for a FOUR-way tie. All four climbers were in great form with all topping every route throughout the event. Chamonix it seemed was the start of the Kim and Markovic gold sharing world tour.

Hall, Austria 2009

The only Boulder competition on the list was Hall, Austria in 2009 when Japan’s Noguchi Akiyo and Austria’s Anna Stöhr both claimed gold. Both equal after the final, the routesetters actually set a ‘super final’ Boulder for the two – but yet again they could not be separated as both flashed the problem, and a joint gold was confirmed.

Marbella, Spain 2005

All female joint-gold so far, but the first was in the men’s competition. In Marbella 2005, under the UIAA banner, both the men’s and women’s competitions needed a ‘super final’ to crown the winners. Eiter and Ciavaldini could be split in the women’s, but Italy’s Flavio Crespi and France’s Alex Chabot could not in the men. The first joint gold medal went to Crespi and Chabot.

The IFSC World Cup Wujiang 2025 was the seventh time the gold has been shared. Women’s Lead is the most common discipline, but it has also happened in the men’s competition and in the Boulder discipline. 2011 it happened multiple times and Kim Jain has been involved in the most. Will we see any more in the future? Keep watching the World Cup Series to find out.

News and updates about all IFSC events will be available on the IFSC website, and on the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu.