American climber Alex Honnold successfully ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes or safety nets, completing the 1,667-foot ascent in one hour and 32 minutes. The live-streamed event marked the first known free solo of the world's former tallest building. Spectators cheered from the streets below, offering encouragement in Chinese.

Honnold, famous for his 2017 free solo of El Capitan, told CNN the building's challenges differ from rock faces but he'd wanted to attempt a skyscraper for a decade. His wife, Sanni McCandless, greeted him at the summit. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te offered public congratulations for the "nerve-wracking" spectacle.

French climber Alain Robert, known as the "Spiderman," offered live commentary. Robert first climbed Taipei 101 with ropes in 2004 during its opening. Honnold's feat follows a decade of urban climbing ambitions, applying his meticulous risk-assessment process to a man-made structure rather than natural granite.