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China’s delegation chief Zhou Jinqiang has lauded the nation’s athletes for their outstanding performance at the 9th Asian Winter Games, which concluded Friday night in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province.
Leading its largest-ever squad of 170 athletes, China competed in all 64 events across 11 disciplines and six sports. The team topped the medal standings with 32 gold, 27 silver, and 26 bronze medals, setting new historical records.
“The 32 gold medals match the record for the most golds in a single edition, previously set by Kazakhstan in 2011,” Zhou noted. “Our total medal count of 85 surpasses their previous record of 70 medals.”
Zhou highlighted a significant shift in China’s winter sports development. “The gold medals were spread across four major sports and seven disciplines,” he explained. “For the first time, snow sports outperformed ice sports in gold medals, with speed skating, freestyle skiing, and ski mountaineering becoming dominant forces in Asia.”
He emphasized the emergence of young talents as a promising sign for the future. “Young gold medalists like Zhang Xiaonan (18), Xiong Shirei (17), Li Xinpeng (20), and Liu Mengting (20) showed remarkable courage and resilience,” Zhou said. “They’ve gained confidence and laid a strong foundation for their disciplines in China.”
Despite the success, Zhou urged for continued efforts ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games next year. “Our performance was impressive, but we still lag behind global standards,” he admitted. “We need to address gaps in training, talent development, and establish robust coaching and youth systems.”
Zhou concluded with a call to action: “As we look toward Milan, we must continue striving for greater achievements on the global stage.”
