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Climber Alex Honnold scales 101-floor skyscraper without safety gear

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American climber Alex Honnold has successfully scaled a skyscraper in Taiwan without a rope, harness or safety equipment.

The building, named Taipei 101 for the number of its floors, is 508m (1,667ft) tall, made of steel, glass and concrete and is designed to resemble a stick of bamboo.

Honnold is renowned for being the first person to climb El Capitan without ropes or safety gear. The 915m (3,000-foot) granite cliff is in California's Yosemite National Park.

The climb was originally scheduled for Saturday but was delayed by wet weather. His ascent in Taiwan's capital was streamed live on Netflix, which said there would be a delay in the live feed should the worst happen.

"We'll cut away," Netflix executive Jeff Gaspin told Variety magazine in the run-up to the event. "Nobody expects or wants to see anything like that to happen."

Honnold completed the climb in one hour and 31 minutes on Sunday - and celebrated the achievement with one word: "Sick."

His time more than halves the record of the only other person to scale the tower.

Alain Robert, a Frenchman who called himself "Spiderman", made it to the top of Taipei 101 - at the time the world's tallest building - in four hours. He did so with ropes and a harness.

Getty Images A building occupant uses his phone to record US rock climber Alex Honnold climbing the Taipei 101 building. Honnold is wearing a red t-shirt and black trousers with yellow shoes.

Taiwan's Vice-President Hsiao Bi-khim congratulated Honnold, writing on X: "I admit I would probably feel sick, too, barely able to watch."

Honnold was greeted at the top of the building by his wife, who expressed concern for the wind and heat as he climbed.

Getty Images US rock climber Alex Honnold scales the Taipei 101 building without ropes or safety gear. He is wearing black trousers and a red t-shirt.

But there was another distraction during his ascent. As Honnold reached the 89th floor, fans cheered and waved, face to face but for the window with the man clinging to the building.

Video of the moment was shared by Honnold and Netflix on Instagram, showing the climber continuing undeterred.

Getty Images Onlookers take pictures and record footage of US rock climber Alex Honnold climbing the Taipei 101 building. People are holding a variety of devices, including mobile phones and cameras.
People is Taipei watched Honnold climb the building

Honnold has made many extreme climbs during his career. A documentary about his ascent of El Capitan, titled Free Solo, won an Academy Award.

Getty Images US rock climber Alex Honnold raises his arms from the top of the Taipei 101 building.
Reuters People look at the building while sitting on a patch of grass from a distance
The building, named Taipei 101 for the number of its floors, stands at 508m (1,667ft)

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