Li Yan, head coach of China's speed skating team and president of the Chinese Skating Association, cheers for athletes of China during the speed skating women's team pursuit quarterfinal at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)
BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Li Yan, the head coach of the Chinese national speed skating team, revealed the team's ambitious goal to clinch gold medals at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics during a media briefing on Monday.
Li provided insight into the overall composition of the national speed skating team post-Beijing 2022. The roster for the upcoming season continues to blend experienced veterans with emerging talents to mentor the next generation and enhance the team's performance across various disciplines.
"In the past year, we've worked hard to harness the potential of younger athletes, nurturing them to become champions. We want to plant the seeds of victory in the hearts of our youth," Li remarked.
Li revealed that they are all set to depart for Japan on Tuesday to partake in the first stop of the 2023-24 International Skating Union (ISU) Speed Skating World Cup and will return to Beijing, where they are slated to compete in the second stop from November 17th to 19th.
File photo taken on Feb. 12, 2022 shows Gao Tingyu of China celebrates after the speed skating men's 500m event at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China. Gao won the men's 500m speed skating gold medal with an Olympic record of 34.32 seconds at the Beijing Winter Olympics, becoming China's first ever male Olympic gold medalist in speed skating. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)
Gao Tingyu, the gold medalist in the men's 500-meter at the Beijing 2022, who focused on recuperation and injury treatment from last season, is set to make a remarkable return at Beijing.
"The path of transitioning from complete rest to rigorous training is a significant test of both his mental and physical strength, I'm delighted that he withstood it," Li expressed great satisfaction with his resilience.
Li believed that improving the overall team strength is a crucial challenge, stating, "Athletes must set their sights on the championship every day. By aiming for the top, you can achieve championship results."
Looking ahead to the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, she aspires to prepare athletes to excel in multiple disciplines through rigorous training and competition.
"We definitely have our sights set on gold. Only by setting clear goals can we work diligently toward achieving a breakthrough in competitions," said Li. ■