Hong Kong climber Shoji Chan has earned a place in the men's lead climbing final after a tense preliminary round, clinching the eighth and final qualifying spot.

The preliminaries in Guangzhou saw 26 athletes tackle two challenging routes in the category in which climbers clip their safety ropes into protection points as they ascend.

The top eight performers from this stage advanced to the final, scheduled for Thursday at 6.30pm.

Athletes from Jiangsu, Hubei and Guangdong claimed the top three spots, with Chan securing his place in the final by the narrowest of margins.

Reflecting on his performance, the climber, 30, said he believes experience played a key role against his younger rivals, many of whom are about half his age.

But describing his first climb as "a bit chaotic", Chan felt there was room for improvement.

He explained that his strategy to reach the top may have backfired slightly.

"During the planning phase, I spent a lot of time thinking of strategies for the lower section of the climb, but that part was relatively easier, so I got a little lost [afterwards]," he said.

Meanwhile, Chan's teammate Au Chi-fung was eliminated after placing 15th in the preliminaries.