HARBIN, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The short-track speed skating competitions concluded at the Harbin Asian Winter Games on Sunday, with China securing two golds, two silvers, and four bronzes across nine events.
While achieving the goal of "striving for every gold," the Chinese team faced fierce challenge from South Korea, a traditional powerhouse in short track speed skating, who led the medal tally with six golds, four silvers and three bronzes.
Zhang Jing, head coach of China's short track speed skating team, praised the Chinese skaters for showcasing their competitiveness and teamwork to secure clean victories in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.
"They truly put aside personal gains and losses to compete for gold for China, and in this regard, they deserve high praise," Zhang noted.
ACHIEVEMENTS AMID REGRETS
With the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics less than a year away, the Asian Winter Games served as a test for Chinese skaters to better prepare for the global showpiece.
"We anticipated every competition at the Asian Winter Games to be challenging, especially against South Korea, our longtime rival with strong overall capabilities" Zhang said. "Although we knew we had a chance to compete for every gold, the path to each medal was full of uncertainties."
Zhang highlighted the hard-fought gold in the women’s 3,000-meter relay as especially inspiring.
In that race, South Korea's quartet, led by veterans Choi Min-jeong and Lee So-yeon along with rising star Kim Gil-li, dominated the early laps. However, China capitalized on a crucial baton exchange to take the lead and reclaim the top position in the final leg.
"Winning gold against the South Korean team is like extracting teeth from a tiger, so we approached that 3,000m relay with a relaxed mindset, as our expectations weren't very high," Zhang explained, adding that the team just focused to try their best.
"The tactical plan was detailed today, and the team members implemented it well."
"South Korea's top athletes Kim and Choi are more experienced and competitive compared to some of our athletes, but the gap between us is narrowing," Zhang noted. "Our female athletes can now compete with their South Korean counterparts in speed and endurance."
China's biggest disappointment at the Games came in the mixed 2,000-meter relay. Despite leading, Lin Xiaojun slipped in the final lap, costing the team a gold medal.
"That was our most promising event, but unexpected errors cost the gold medal," said Zhang. "It's disappointing for many, but it demonstrates the sport's unpredictable nature."
"Our athletes have gained valuable experience for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and learned lessons, particularly regarding athletes' mindset," she added.
Zhang also drew inspiration from the rise of younger talents, particularly 18-year-old Yang Jingru. Although Yang did not win a medal, her aggressive and intelligent racing left a strong impression.
In the women's 1,500m final, she led the race before a fall in the final lap cost her a medal. "Her fearless energy makes her a young star on our team, and I hope she continues to grow," Zhang commented.
"With less than a year to go until Milan 2026, every race, lesson, and training session matters.
"We're pushing ourselves to the limit in the World Championships and Olympic qualifiers, tackling every challenge head-on to be ready for Milan," she added. ■
