YANQING, Beijing, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese skeleton athlete Yan Wengang said on Sunday he could have done a better job in the men's competition of the Beijing Winter Olympics.Debutant Yan Wengang took bronze in the men's event, the first Olympic medal in any sliding sport for China.But the 24-year-old said on Sunday that he could have avoided some minor mistakes during his four runs at the National Sliding Centre.To get a bronze medal, I'm both happy and unhappy. I don't think I presented the best of my capability, said Yan.During the competition, I made big and small mistakes, some of which never occurred during training.To get a bronze in such circumstances, I'm happy but I feel that I could have done a better job, he added.According to China's coach Andreas Schmid, Yan has good reasons to be regretful.To hear Yan say now that he wasn't happy about his performance because he could've been better - yes, that's true. A gold medal was possible with the performance he showed in training, said Schmid.
Erin Jackson of the United States poses after speed skating women's 500m at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Erin Jackson of the United States notched the gold medal in the women's 500m speed skating at the Beijing Winter Olympics here on Sunday.The 29-year-old clocked a winning time of 37.04 seconds to become the first American speed skater since 1994 to win the Olympic gold in the women's 500m.I wish I could describe how I feel. It is amazing. This medal means so much, said Jackson, who would miss the Beijing Games but for her friend Brittany Bowe.Bowe sacrificed her No.1 spot in 500m to Jackson who had slipped and finished third in the U.S. Olympic trials where top two finishers secured tickets to Beijing.Bowe, the 1,000m and 1,500m specialist, was able to compete over the distance along with Jackson with an additional quota given to Team USA in reallocation, and finished 16th eventually.It has been a tough couple of years and a tough beginning for this year. For this to come around like this I am so happy, Jackson said.Miho Takagi of Japan grabbed the silver in 37.12 seconds, while Angelina Golikova of the Russian Olympic Committee finished third in 37.21 seconds.Also on Sunday, the men's team pursuit quarterfinals saw Norway, the United States, the Russian Olympic Committee and the Netherlands advance into the semifinals. Canada and South Korea advance to Final C while Italy and China advance to Final D.Erin Jackson of the United States poses after speed skating women's 500m at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)Erin Jackson (C) of the United States, Takagi Miho (L) of Japan and Angelina Golikova of ROC pose after speed skating women's 500m at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)Erin Jackson of the United States poses after speed skatin...
Skiers enjoy the sport at Changbaishan Ski Resort in northeast China's Jilin Province, Nov. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The unparalleled passion ignited by the ongoing Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games has spurred China's consumer and capital markets in the starting days of the Year of the Tiger.The enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of spectators has acted as a catalyst in creating new fashion trends in China's speedy consumer market and in kindling new interests among investors in the country's capital market.SKIING AS A FASHIONDid you go skiing during the holiday? Many Chinese people wish to ask their colleagues upon their return to work following the Spring Festival holiday, which concluded on Feb. 6.The Chinese people's zeal for skiing peaked during this holiday as the opening of the Winter Olympics turned the already-popular sporting activity into a new fashion of consumption.According to online travel service provider Qunar.com, skiing has made its way onto the list of top three hottest words searched on its platform for the first time ever, and the number of ski resort tickets sold on its platform doubled during the holiday compared to last year.Data from China's e-commerce giant JD.com shows that the overall transaction value of ski sports products increased by 322 percent year on year in the period, among which that of ski masks increased by 15 times.Since China's successful bid for the Winter Olympics in 2015, skiing, the once niche activity, quickly gained popularity in the country. Industry data shows that the number of skiers reached 13.05 million in 2019, nearly doubling from that in 2014, and ski resorts rose from 568 in 2015 to 770 in 2019, and are expected to top 1,000 this year.Consumption data demonstrates a cross-country passion for skiing, with traditional resorts in China's northeastern region and indoor resorts in the country's south and southwestern regions both becoming hot tourism destinations, according to Al...
Shaoang Liu (R) of Hungary and Konstantin Ivliev of ROC celebrate after the men's 500m short track speed skating final at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. Shaoang Liu claimed the gold medal and Konstantin Ivliev took silver in the event. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Liu Shaoang of Hungary won the men's 500m short track speed skating gold in 40.338 seconds at the Beijing Winter Olympics here on Sunday.Konstantin Ivliev from the Russian Olympic Committee bagged the silver in 40.431. The bronze went to Steven Dubois of Canada in 40.669.Defending champion Wu Dajing of China missed out on a place in final A.Shaoang Liu of Hungary reacts after the men's 500m short track speed skating final at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)Shaoang Liu of Hungary celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 500m short track speed skating final at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)Shaoang Liu of Hungary celebrates after the men's 500m short track speed skating final at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)Konstantin Ivliev (R) of ROC greets Shaoang Liu of Hungary after the men's 500m short track speed skating final at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)Shaoang Liu (C) of Hungary competes during the men's 500m short track speed skating final at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Gold medalists the Netherlands take a selfie during the flower ceremony of the women's 3,000m relay final of short track speed skating at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)Top International Olympic Committee official Christophe Dubi gives all thumbs up to the organizing work of the Beijing 2022 and believes the Games will set up the new standard for the future.BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing 2022 organizers should really be commended and what has been done is incredible, said Christophe Dubi, Olympic Games Executive Director of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during an exclusive interview on Sunday.ALWAYS A SATISFACTIONDubi introduced that the IOC president Thomas Bach used to have a very important meeting every morning to go through Games coordination, but he called it off just a few days ago, which, as Dubi explained, is very rare.Because we had details that could be worked upon, he added. The operations were very successful from the very beginning.This says a lot about the quality of the organization, the attention to the details, said Dubi. But in particular, the organizers are doing everything to support the athletes.No athletes have said anything critical. On the contrary, they are all smiling and praising the quality of the venues, the quality of the organization, the quality of the accommodation and the food. When the athletes are satisfied, you cannot expect anything more, he said.As the competition zones started to see extreme weather conditions starting on Saturday, Dubi expressed his confidence in Beijing 2022 to still manage the smooth operations of the Games.You have the most advanced weather forecasting system, great operators teaming up with the International Federations and the media, whatever the weather throws at us, we're going to meet the challenge.As China bid for the rights to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, Dubi had a chance to visit China with the evaluatio...
A screen displays “Competition is postponed due to weather conditions” at the finishing slope of the freestyle skiing women's freeski slopestyle qualification run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 13, 2022.As snow arrived in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the ice shovel and snow removal team of Zhangjiakou Competition Zone worked nonstop to ensure the normal operation of the venue for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.As the snowfall arrived at the Zhangjiakou Competition Zone, the ice shovel and snow removal team started the emergency plan. Staff from sports, mountain operation and other fields were dispatched to clear snow and ensure the normal operation of the venue. According to Zhangjiakou Daily, snow had been cleared on the Yanchong Expressway, which connects the Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.The weather forecast said that the snow will start to fall at 5 am, and we started preparing for duty at 3 am. The snow removal team of 48 vehicles and 68 people is now on duty. Hu Jinghua, the leader of the snow removal team, told the media. His team is responsible for snow removal in Zhangjiakou core competition area and is equipped with small and medium-sized four-wheel drive high-horsepower snow removal equipment and ice breaking equipment to deal with the possible impact of snow on the road.Guo Jinfei, competition area security employee, said that the working staff all went out to clear the snow from the early morning. And, through big data sharing, bus drivers received snow alerts the night before, so that they can prepare in advance.Snow is also expected to continue until early tomorrow morning in Beijing, according to the citys weather forecast. Beijing Meteorological Bureau issued a blue alert for a snowstorm at 8:45 am on Sunday. According to the Beijing authority, 56,000 people are on standby to clear snow and shovel ice to ensure tra...
Tessa Maud of the United States. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]BEIJING - Stir-fried broccoli, Kung Pao chicken, dumplings and free snacks -- These are all in a viral video posted by US snowboarder Tessa Maud on social media, documenting her dinner at an Olympic Village for Beijing 2022.I love the onions and the peanuts, and the chili is literally amazing, lauded the 18-year-old Olympian in the vlog.It is not only the food but also volunteers in Beijing that impressed Maud. Just days ago after the opening ceremony of the Winter Games, Maud shared a clip in which a volunteer greeted her saying Welcome to China during the parade.I kept watching that video again and again, and I was just crying because it was the cutest thing ever in my life, narrated Maud, and that guy who said 'welcome to China' literally makes me tear up every time because they are so nice. All the volunteers are so sweet.Likewise, German snowboarder Leon Vockensperger recalled the warmth from the welcoming volunteers on the event, having captioned in his video I'll remember this moment for the rest of my life.Supermarkets, souvenir stores, there's a Pizza Hut, there's a KFC. There's a bank, a big gym, a lot of things to do -- things to keep you occupied, said Danish speed skater Viktor Hald Thorup about the athletes' village in Beijing.I'm so fortunate that I managed to qualify for the Winter Olympics and the athletes' village a big plus to me, the Dane noted of his second Olympics.With the Games underway, athletes have given the thumbs up to the facilities on show.Turkish ski jumper Fatih Arda Ipcioglu said he was fascinated by the National Ski Jumping Center in Zhangjiakou.When I first saw the ramp, I didn't know how to put it into words, but I thought it was magnificent, Ipcioglu commented.As for Oskar Kwiatkowski, a Polish snowboarder, Beijing 2022 is projected as Olympic magic.It's frosty weather. The snow is very grippy. It's easy to ride. You don't have to think that your snowbo...
Chinese athletes celebrate after the curling women's round robin session 6 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics against South Korea at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)China upset PyeongChang silver medalist South Korea in women's curling team round robin, while short-track speed skaters added a bronze medal for the host nation in the women's 3,000m relay. BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's women's curling team pulled off another morale-boosting victory by topping PyeongChang 2018 silver medalist South Korea, while the host nation's awe-inspiring short-track speed skaters won a bronze in the women's 3,000m relay at the 2022 Winter Olympics on Sunday.The Chinese women's curling team, who stunned defending champion Sweden 9-6 in the previous matchday, continued its strong momentum against South Korea and prevailed 6-5.They battled back and forth until the extra end. Wand Rui of China decided the game, throwing her hammer for a take-out and one point.We stuck to our plan and created as many chances as we could to score, said Wang.These two hard-earned victories came after three straight defeats at Beijing 2022, which forced China to reshuffle its line-up. Wang, the only curler with Olympic experience on the Chinese team, replaced the 21-year-old skip Han Yu to play the fourth.Wang made splendid shots in crucial ends, which proved to be the key to China's victory.Actually, I didn't feel any pressure when I made the shots, and I just did what I should do, said the 27-year-old. Two straight victories gave us more confidence, and we will move on with the momentum and play our best.Wang Rui, Zhang Lijun and Dong Ziqi of China (L to R) compete during the curling women's round robin session 6 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics against South Korea. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)In short-track speed skating, reigning Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting inspired the Netherlands to victory in the women's 3,000m relay in an Olympic rec...
A young athlete from Luanchuan County Special Education School, a school for children with disabilities in Luanchuan county, Luoyang, central China’s Henan province, practices skiing. (Photo by Wang Tianding)Luanchuan County Special Education School, a school for children with disabilities located deep in Funiu Mountains in central China’s Henan province, has brought students the opportunity to enjoy a better life by introducing ice and snow sports.Students in the special education school in Luanchuan county, Luoyang, Henan province, suffer from various types of disabilities. Some of them are deaf-mute children, children with cerebral palsy, autism and Down’s syndrome.Since 2019, when the school started to provide winter sports training, more than 30 children from the school have won over 60 medals in a good number of national competitions. Five students of the school will compete at the 12th Special Olympics World Winter Games to be held in Kazan, Russia.“Skiing is fun, because you can glide so fast that it’s like you are flying in the sky like a bird,” said a member of the cross-country skiing team of the school.From crying “help” and “this is impossible” to being able to ski on his own and then claiming silver in national competition, Lou Jiayuan, an autistic student in Luanchuan County Special Education School, has finally found his stage through winter sports.Zhang Jiayi, a deaf-mute girl who loves skiing, becomes excited whenever she talks about the sport. She is eager to take part in competitions, Zhang said in sign language.An athlete with disabilities takes part in snowboarding training at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou city, north China’s Hebei province, Feb. 22, 2021. (Photo by Wu Diansen/People’s Daily Online)Ice and snow sports have helped these disabled children regain confidence, and their passion for winter sports has made them stronger.To these children, winter sports are not only hobbies, but rather a door that leads to a bigger world and a bette...
Gold medalist Gao Tingyu of China reacts during the award ceremony of speed skating men's 500m at the Beijing Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)Gao Tingyu wins historic speed skating gold medal for China as Germany leads medal table halfway through the Winter Olympics.BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Gao Tingyu became the first Chinese male Olympic champion in speed skating when he won the 500m event with an Olympic record time here on Saturday.Gao, one of China's flagbearers at the opening ceremony, clocked a winning time of 34.32 seconds in the National Speed Skating Oval, beating the previous Olympic mark of 34.41 seconds set by Haavard Holmefjord Lorentzen of Norway at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.It's completely a dream come true, exclaimed Gao, who draped himself in China's national flag while in tears as spectators in the Oval, dubbed the Ice Ribbon, rose to their feet with loud applause and cheers.I said it, and I made it, Gao said, noting that he was resolved to upgrade the color of his bronze medal won four years ago in PyeongChang, South Korea.The 24-year-old, who had the fastest opener, revealed that he was eying for a record-breaking performance before the race, and felt a bit pitiful that he fell short of sub-34.1.It's shameful if you win a gold without breaking the Olympic record at the Ice Ribbon, Gao joked.Gao Tingyu of China competes during the speed skating men's 500m event at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ga)The venue has witnessed eight new Olympic marks and one world record lowered in eight events ever since the speed skating competitions got underway from February 5.Cha Min-kyu of South Korea seized the silver in 34.39 seconds, while Wataru Morishige of Japan finished third in 34.49 seconds.Reigning world champion Laurent Dubreuil from Canada missed the podium by 0.03 seconds.The other Chinese flagbearer, Zhao Dan, finished ninth in the women's skel...
Goalkeeper Zhou Jiaying of China gets her water bottle for drink at Wukesong Sports Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 7, 2022. Behinds the goal, there is a special place to hang an water bottle for the goalkeeper.(Xinhua/Li Ran)As the Chinese ice hockey players showed up at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, this game is attracting more and more of the public's attention.At Wukesong Sports Centre in Beijing, staff working for the ice hockey events put the ice pucks into cooling boxes. The puck, made of vulcanized rubber, is a flat hard disc that needs to be frozen before the game to reduce elasticity during the play.The men's and women's ice hockey were listed as the official Winter Olympic events in the years of 1924 and 1998 respectively. Ice hockey, also known as hockey on the ice, is like a combination of football, field hockey and short track speed skating. A contact sports as ice hockey is, it is also a combination of power and passion, bringing a powerful visual impact to the audience.At the same time, in order to ensure safety, ice hockey games have to meet certain standards for venues and players' dress code, which also constitutes some of the cool facts on the ice hockey rink.Staff members operate ice-repairing trucks to make the surface of ice rink flat during the break of the men's ice hockey preliminary round Group B match between Czech Republic and Denmark at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, Feb. 9, 2022.(Xinhua/Du Yu)Staff members install an ice hockey goal with electric drills at Wukesong Sports Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022.(Xinhua/Li Ran)Staff members carry their tools to clean the ice rink during the break of an ice hockey game at Wukesong Sports Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ran)Cameraman Brennan Mugala (1st L) shoots players of China in his skates on the ice rink at Wukesong Sports Centre during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 7...
Gold medalists of team ROC (L) and bronze medalists of team Sweden celebrate during the awarding ceremony of cross-country skiing women's 4 x 5km relay at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)Silver medalists of team Germany celebrate during the awarding ceremony of cross-country skiing women's 4 x 5km relay at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)Gold medalists of team ROC reacts during the awarding ceremony of cross-country skiing women's 4 x 5km relay at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)Gold medalists of team ROC (C), silver medalists of team Germany (L) and bronze medalists of team Sweden celebrate during the awarding ceremony of cross-country skiing women's 4 x 5km relay at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)Bronze medalists of team Sweden celebrate during the awarding ceremony of cross-country skiing women's 4 x 5km relay at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)Gold medalist Gao Tingyu (C) of China, silver medalist Cha Min kyu (L) of South Korea and bronze medalist Morishige Wataru of Japan react during the awarding ceremony of speed skating men's 500m at the Beijing Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)Gold medalists Nick Baumgartner (3rd R)/Lindsey Jacobellis (3rd L) of the United States, silver medalists Omar Visintin (2nd L)/Michela Moioli (1st L) of Italy and bronze medalists Eliot Grondin (1st R)/Meryeta Odine (2nd R) of Canada pose during the awarding ceremony of mixed team snowboard cross at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics ...
Ye Jinguang (2nd L) of China competes during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)Yan Juncheng (front) of China vies with Moritz Muller of Germany during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)Kailiaosi Jieke (R) of China vies with Tom Kuhnhackl of Germany during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)Konrad Abeltshauser of Germany (3rd R) competes during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)Yasin Ehliz (R) of Germany vies with Liu Jie of China during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)Leonhard Pfoderl (2nd R) of Germany competes during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)Wei Ruike (L) of China competes during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)Jian An (2nd R) of China competes during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)Luo Jia of China controls the puck during the ice hockey men's preliminary round Group A match between China and Germany at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)Yas...
A picture taken on Jan. 27 shows flags of delegations raised at the Olympic Village for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games in downtown Beijing, China. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)Beijing 2022 organizers stick to an athlete-centered approach and offer quality services to ensure athletes' best performance.BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Athletes have always been at the center of the Olympic games, and the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games is sparing no efforts to ensure that all athletes can bring about their best performance, said Shen Qianfan, the director-general of the village planning and operation department of Beijing 2022 organizers BOCOG.The 24-hour restaurant is one of the most popular spots in the Olympic Village, with athletes posting on social media as they enjoy traditional Chinese dishes.The most popular dishes are dumplings and Beijing roast duck. At the peak hour, we offered 80 roast ducks in maximum, said Shen.Food and catering service for an Olympic Games is very complex. It took the organizers nearly two years to finalize the menu for athletes after cooperation and consultation with nutrition experts from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).Zhao Weidong (L), spokesperson of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG), Shen Qianfan, director-general of Village Planning and Operation Department of BOCOG, and Mark Adams, spokesperson of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) attend a regular news conference of the BOCOG and IOC in Beijing on Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)Athletes and the experts pay more attention to the nutrition of the food, for example, how many calories per 1,000 grams, how much fat, what are the potential allergens in the food, particularly for top athletes. They follow very strict diets. Sometimes we joke amongst ourselves that they eat with calculators in their hands, Shen explained.For athletes who have special dietary needs, we follow the requirements of the IOC food and b...
BERLIN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Even in an Olympic athlete's life, there seem moments when only mum can help.Early in the morning, ahead of runs three and four, Germany's skeleton talent Hannah Neise wrote a message to her mother back in Germany.I woke up at six and felt extremely nervous. I am not used to feelings like that. She calmed me down and told me to simply do what I can, the surprise winner of the women's singles reported.Over the past months, the 21-year-old has been working on her mental state, but never experienced an event like the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.Mum's advice did not miss the mark. The winner of the 2020 Youth World Championships slipped back to full concentration and outpaced her competitors.After her mother's call, she remembered, a solid mental state became one of my advantages, as I have been working a lot on it.After taking a surprise gold, more unusual things concerning Neise came to light. It might sound weird, but in normal life, I have problems with high speed, she said speaking about any one of her family driving fast in a car.I don't know why, but when I am going down the skeleton tracks, I don't feel that, she said, adding that she can think of many much more dangerous sports.Her fans might be racking their brains, considering skeleton athletes race down an icy slope head-first on a small sled at over 130 kilometers per hour.Waiting at the Yanqing Olympic track, the young German somehow appeared lost as I was not used to a situation like that.She might have remembered in these moments; she had done all she could. She wore compressing stockings and a pink T-shirt under her racing suit as she has always done when in competition from her early years on.The cuddly toy her boyfriend had given her before she took off for the Beijing Games was also in attendance.I can't realize what happened, she said, assuming her family back home might currently be much more enthusiastic than her.She might have thought about her long way to...
Gold medalist Gao Tingyu of China reacts during the award ceremony of speed skating men's 500m at the Beijing Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)Gao Tingyu wins historic speed skating gold medal for China as Germany leads medal table halfway through the Winter Olympics.BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Gao Tingyu became the first Chinese male Olympic champion in speed skating when he won the 500m event with an Olympic record time here on Saturday.Gao, one of China's flagbearers at the opening ceremony, clocked a winning time of 34.32 seconds in the National Speed Skating Oval, beating the previous Olympic mark of 34.41 seconds set by Haavard Holmefjord Lorentzen of Norway at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.It's completely a dream come true, exclaimed Gao, who draped himself in China's national flag while in tears as spectators in the Oval, dubbed the Ice Ribbon, rose to their feet with loud applause and cheers.I said it, and I made it, Gao said, noting that he was resolved to upgrade the color of his bronze medal won four years ago in PyeongChang, South Korea.The 24-year-old, who had the fastest opener, revealed that he was eying for a record-breaking performance before the race, and felt a bit pitiful that he fell short of sub-34.1.It's shameful if you win a gold without breaking the Olympic record at the Ice Ribbon, Gao joked.Gao Tingyu of China competes during the speed skating men's 500m event at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ga)The venue has witnessed eight new Olympic marks and one world record lowered in eight events ever since the speed skating competitions got underway from February 5.Cha Min-kyu of South Korea seized the silver in 34.39 seconds, while Wataru Morishige of Japan finished third in 34.49 seconds.Reigning world champion Laurent Dubreuil from Canada missed the podium by 0.03 seconds.The other Chinese flagbearer, Zhao Dan, finished ninth in the women's skel...
BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Over the past four years, Gao Tingyu has had recurrent dreams about skating on the ice, sometimes without rivals, and every so often, finishing on the podium.I really want to change the color of my medal, and we'll see in four years, Gao said firmly after claiming a bronze at PyeongChang 2018.The 24-year-old speed skater made it, and stunned the world in doing so.He beat a strong field of world champions and World Cup title holders to win the men's 500m speed skating competition in 34.32 seconds at Beijing 2022 on Saturday, becoming the first-ever Chinese male Olympic gold medalist in the discipline.It's completely a dream come true, exclaimed Gao, who draped himself in China's national flag, with tears in his eyes as spectators at the National Speed Skating Oval rose to their feet with loud applause and cheers.HOME FAVORITEBuoyed by an encouraging World Cup season, China's fastest speed skaters were resolved to steal the show on home ice in the sport usually dominated by Europeans.Gao, who was drafted into the national team in 2016 and made rapid progress in recent years, is the odds-on favorite for the 500m title as he refreshed his personal bests time and again. He also holds the national record of 33.83 seconds.Gao won one gold and one silver in men's 500m during this season's World Cup tour, and flexed his muscles by lowering the track record to 34.265 seconds and leaving Japanese star Tatsuya Shinhama and former champion Laurent Dubreuil of Canada behind.I was not in my peak condition, and it's just a test of my training, said Gao of his Word Cup victory.I still need to improve on every technique and skill and my main goal is to make the podium at Beijing 2022, he added, noting that the home Winter Olympics was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that placed him under extra pressure, but he would turn it into motivation.Gao and skeleton athlete Zhao Dan carried the national flag for China at the Games opening ceremony on Feb...
Wang Shiyue (L) and Liu Xinyu of China perform during the figure skating ice dance rhythm dance at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)After a disappointing PyeongChang journey, China's ice dancers Wang Shiyue and Liu Xinyu have set their goal for a top 10 finish at Beijing 2022.BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Wang Shiyue and Liu Xinyu, the sole pair representing China in ice dancing at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, is close to achieving a best ever result for the host nation after finishing 12th in Saturday's rhythm dance.The two-time Olympians, both 27 years old, scored 73.41 points for their short dance program to Trouble, Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley, 1.25 points short of their season best set a week ago.China's best result in ice dancing has stood for 30 years when Han Bing and Yang Hui finished 18th at Albertville 1992.Wang and Liu, however, told media that they look to finish among the world's top 10 at Beijing 2022.It has been both the utmost goal and the motivation for us in this Olympic cycle, said Wang, who has paired with Liu since 2005.Four years ago in PyeongChang, Wang and Liu failed to reach the free dance after they finished in 22nd place in short dance.After a disappointing Olympic debut, we turned to train at two-time Olympians Patrice Lauzon and Marie-France Dubreuil's school in Canada, and managed to come out of the blue, Wang recalled.Wang Shiyue (R) and Liu Xinyu of China perform during the figure skating ice dance rhythm dance at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)The duo came out as the first Chinese ice dancing couple to win an ISU Grand Prix at the Cup of China during the 2020-2021 season. They were fourth in the 2020 Four Continental championships before finishing 13th at the 2021 world championships.Coming back to the Olympic rink, we felt happy, not just because we earned some satisfying scores, but that we know we can do better with the improvement we made, both...
CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The women's freeski slopestyle qualification at Beijing 2022, originally scheduled to start at 10:00, has been delayed here on Sunday due to heavy snowfall.The starting time of the first qualification run has been rescheduled to 12:00 at noon, according to Beijing 2022 official website.China's prodigy Gu Ailing, who claimed a historic gold in the women's freeski big air, will compete in the freeski slopestyle.
Han Zhebin, a volunteer of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, shows a hand-painted mask she made at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province, Feb. 11, 2022. I hope that in this way, journalists from all over the world can feel the enthusiasm and friendship of our volunteers. In the media workshop of the National Biathlon Center, volunteer Han Zhebin's hand-painted Bing Dwen Dwen Mask was welcomed by foreign journalists.Volunteer Han Zhebin is from the College of Art and Design of Yanshan University. Although she can't go home for the Spring Festival this year, Han Zhebin feels very honored because she can participate in the volunteer service of Winter Olympics, and her homesickness is therefore relieved. In the process of volunteer service, she applied the painting knowledge she learned in college to her daily volunteer service, and painted Bing Dwen Dwen on her mask and presented it to foreign journalists.I am also very proud that my ability has been recognized. I hope to use my enthusiasm to make friends from all over the world feel the Chinese friendship. Han Zhebin told reporters. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)Han Zhebin (R), a volunteer of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, presents a hand-painted Bing Dwen Dwen Mask she made to a foreign journalist at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province, Feb. 11, 2022. I hope that in this way, journalists from all over the world can feel the enthusiasm and friendship of our volunteers. In the media workshop of the National Biathlon Center, volunteer Han Zhebin's hand-painted Bing Dwen Dwen Mask was welcomed by foreign journalists.Volunteer Han Zhebin is from the College of Art and Design of Yanshan University. Although she can't go home for the Spring Festival this year, Han Zhebin feels very honored because she can participate in the volunteer service of Winter Olympics, and her homesickness is therefore relieved. In the process of volunteer service, she applied the paint...
We have updated our privacy policy to comply with the latest laws and regulations. The updated policy explains the mechanism of how we collect and treat your personal data. You can learn more about the rights you have by reading our terms of service. Please read them carefully. By clicking AGREE, you indicate that you have read and agreed to our privacy policies
