China has made history at the IBSF World Cup in Winterberg, Germany. On Friday, Zhao Dan and Lin Qinwei clinched the country’s first-ever world-level title in the skeleton mixed team event.
The skeleton mixed team discipline is set to debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. Zhao Dan kicked off the competition, finishing her run in an impressive 1 minute and 1.46 seconds, propelling China into first place. Lin Qinwei then secured the victory with a combined team time of 2 minutes and 0.87 seconds.
This landmark win marks China’s first World Cup victory in the team competition for skeleton events. The Austrian duo of Janine Flock and Samuel Maier finished just 0.10 seconds behind, taking the silver. Another Chinese team, Li Yuxi and Yin Zheng, claimed third place, rounding off a remarkable performance by the Chinese athletes.
With the upcoming Winter Olympics, China’s breakthrough in the skeleton mixed team event highlights the nation’s growing prowess in winter sports. Fans eagerly anticipate how these athletes will perform on the Olympic stage next year.
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China's Zhao and Lin win skeleton mixed team title in Winterberg
cgtn.com