China News Service, Harbin, February 9 (Reporter Gao Kai) When Asian ice and snow fire came to Harbin again, the Chinese sports delegation also ushered in an important moment - the Asian Winter Games gold medal broke 100. In the women's cross-country skiing individual short distance (traditional technology) final, Chinese player Li Lei won the championship, which is also the 100th gold medal won by the Chinese team in the Asian Winter Games history.
From the 4 gold medals of the Sapporo Asian Winter Games in 1986 to the 100 gold medal count of the Harbin Asian Winter Games in 2025, China's ice and snow sports have completed multiple breakthroughs in 39 years.
From the single-time 4 gold medals to the historical gold medals exceeding 50 gold, the Chinese delegation only took five Asian Winter Games; and from 50 gold to breaking 100 gold, this process has been further shortened. On the first day of this Asian Winter Games, the Chinese team won 8 gold medals and 21 medals, showing strong competitive strength. Especially in the snow event, the Chinese team has blossomed at multiple points and is about to break the single-time 8 gold medal record. Behind this achievement is the transformation of China's ice and snow sports from "strong ice and weak snow" to comprehensive development, and it is also a microcosm of China's ice and snow industry from nothing to something and from weak to strong.
National support is undoubtedly the core driving force of this development process. With the continuous improvement of China's comprehensive national strength and the continuous increase in investment in ice and snow sports, not only has advanced training facilities been built, attracting many international teams to exchange and cooperate, but also creating a wave of the whole people participating in ice and snow sports. After the Beijing Winter Olympics, this development has accelerated even more significantly.
The successful holding of the Beijing Winter Olympics not only injects strong impetus into China's ice and snow sports, but also provides new opportunities for the development of Asian ice and snow sports. The "internationally leading" venues, scientific and technological innovation achievements and talent training system left behind by the Winter Olympics have laid a solid foundation for the sustainable development of China's ice and snow sports.
Outside the arena, "Ice and Snow Hot" swept the whole country. From the ice rink in the north to the indoor ski hall in the south, ice and snow sports have gradually become an important part of national fitness, and "driven 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports" has changed from a goal to a reality. The sharing of the Winter Olympics heritage among the whole people has enabled more and more young people to devote themselves to ice and snow sports, and has reserved a steady stream of talents for the future of China's ice and snow sports.
From the advanced training methods of optimizing movements in wind tunnel laboratories, such as the optimization of technology, to various advanced ice and snow equipment containing various high-tech elements, on the basis of sufficient talent reserves, China's ice and snow sports The technology accumulation is becoming more sharp and thicker, combining multiple forces to promote a strong advancement in sports level.
39 years ago, when the first Asian Winter Games were held in Sapporo, Japan, there were only 7 countries and regions participating, and only 293 athletes participated. At this Asian Winter Games held in Harbin 39 years later, there were 34 countries and regions that signed up for the competition, and more than 1,200 athletes signed up for the competition. The rise of China's ice and snow sports not only provides a broader stage for Chinese athletes, but also opens up new paths for the development of Asian ice and snow sports. By hosting high-standard events such as the Winter Olympics and the Asian Winter Games, China has not only improved its competitive level, but also made important contributions to the popularization and promotion of Asian ice and snow sports.
After breaking the wall, we usher in a new start. It should be noted that compared with the world's ice and snow powers, China's overall strength in snow projects is still far behind, and the situation of "strong ice and weak snow" has not fundamentally changed. At the same time, the overall level of Asian ice and snow sports still has a lot of room for improvement compared with the world's top level.
On the 9th, 34-year-old veteran Xu Mengtao won the gold medal for the Chinese sports delegation, 16-year-old young player Chen Xuezheng also won his own title in this fiercely competitive final. A silver medal in the Asian Winter Games. The powerful potential energy in this "new departure" may have begun to show its strength. (End)
