Brotherhood in motion: parkour athletes bond at Chengdu World Games

Italian parkourer Andrea Consolini cheered friends on in Chengdu as The World Games freestyle finals turned into a celebration of skill, friendship and shared passion across borders.

CHENGDU, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- "Let's go, bro! Go!" shouted Andrea Consolini, his voice carrying across the lakeside course as he watched the men's freestyle parkour finals at The World Games 2025 on Tuesday afternoon.

The 24-year-old Italian, who will compete in the men's speed parkour on Wednesday, wasn't there just to scout the competition - he was there to cheer on friends. "It's a competition, but we want everyone to do their best. We're screaming, we're excited, we're pushing each other," he said.

The crowd roared as 25-year-old American Shea Rudolph stuck the landing after a series of fast-paced rolls, backflips and arm jumps. Rudolph earned 26.7 points to secure the bronze medal.

"Shea, bravo!" Consolini grinned, applauding loudly for his friend.

"I've met these guys at international competitions over the years," Consolini explained. "We train together when we can, and we often talk on Instagram or WhatsApp."

Since arriving in Chengdu a few days ago, Consolini and fellow parkourers have explored the city's downtown, visited giant pandas, and sampled local specialties like Dandan noodles. "After the competition, we're planning to go out for drinks," he said with a laugh.

Parkour is gaining momentum in countries and regions like China, Italy and Japan, and The World Games has become a prime stage for the sport's top athletes to showcase their skills - and their camaraderie.

For Chinese freerunner Fu Sida, 24, the Games was less about podium finishes and more about reconnecting.

"I'm just happy to see old friends," said Fu, who started parkour at 18 by watching online videos. "I really admire Shea's style. He's cool! We've met three times, and we always have great conversations."

Rudolph, grinning broadly after landing a new move in competition, echoed the sentiment. "Everybody here is part of the parkour community. We're so close - that's one of the best things about this sport," he said.

Like Fu, Rudolph started in 2012 after watching YouTube videos, training in his backyard. He earned a degree in environmental science three years ago and works at a small marketing agency while continuing to compete.

On the podium, Rudolph joined Japanese gold medalist Mutsuhiro Shiohata and French silver medalist Eloan Hitz, put their arms around each other for an intimate group photo as fellow athletes applauded.

"I've known Shea for about five years, and we're good friends," said Mutsuhiro. "My English isn't great, but that doesn't matter - we like each other a lot. It's my first time in China, and I really want to visit the pandas and some Three Kingdoms historical sites in Chengdu."

Fu has already invited Rudolph to train together at the parkour club in Shanghai. "Unfortunately, I'll be leaving Thursday," Rudolph said. "But I think we're going to see some pandas - maybe tomorrow." ■