A Relay impressive haul

Li, 30, the oldest member of the team, took home gold in both the relay and women's sprint classic. A seasoned competitor, Li previously won a gold, a silver, and a bronze in the cross-country skiing at the 14th National Winter Games.

Regarding next year's Winter Olympics, she said: "It's every athlete's dream, and I will continue striving toward that goal."

Bayani Jialin earned her first Asian Winter Games gold in the women's 5 km free on Sunday. Though she did not participate in the relay, she was present to cheer on her teammates.

"My success is also due to the support of my team," said the 25-year-old skier. "We help each other out — when I have weaknesses, I learn from my teammates and work to improve. We all grow and learn together."

At Beijing 2022, Bayani, along with Chi, Li Xin, and Ma Qinghua, helped secure 10th place in the women's relay, setting a new Olympic record for China in the event. Now, Bayani has committed to intensive training as she sets her sights on qualifying for Milano-Cortina next year.

Team leader Wang emphasized that, much like the Winter Olympics, the Asian Winter Games provided valuable international competition experience for the athletes.

"Our impressive results at this event were largely due to the contributions of our foreign coaches," he said. "Bernhard Ronning, who coaches the women's team and also serves as a wax technician preparing the team's skis, has been working with the Chinese team for about seven years. He is highly familiar with the strengths of Chinese athletes, and has extensive knowledge of both domestic and international skiing."

Wang also noted that while the team's performance at the Asian Winter Games was outstanding, their primary focus remains securing a spot at the Winter Olympics. Following the Games, the team will immediately head abroad to continue competing and working toward earning that qualification.

Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn