by sportswriters Zhang Han, Liu Yang and Lu Xingji
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- With one month to go until the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Winter Games, China is fine-tuning its plans, hoping to continue the momentum from Beijing 2022.
Four years ago, the host nation achieved its best-ever Winter Olympic result with nine gold, four silver and two bronze medals while the best overseas result was achieved at Vancouver 2010 with five gold, two silver and four bronze.
For the Milan-bound Chinese team, medal hopes are pinned on a few core disciplines, such as short track speed skating, freestyle skiing and snowboarding as its ambition is to achieve a best-ever medal count at an overseas Winter Games.
ON ICE: A FOUNDATION IN TRANSITION
China's traditional strengths on ice face renewed tests amidst transition.
The short track team, which has contributed more gold medals to China's Winter Olympic haul than any other, won two golds, one silver and one bronze in Beijing, finishing second on the sport's medal table in 2022.
It has secured the maximum quota of five men and five women for all nine events in Milan, but the pre-Olympic World Tour season underscored fierce competition, as China tallied just one gold, six silvers and four bronzes across four stops. Gold medal hopes are now primarily pinned on the men's 5,000m and mixed team relays, where teamwork can prevail.
With its final roster soon to be announced, the team's core members - like Sun Long, Liu Shaoang and Lin Xiaojun for the men's team, and Gong Li, Zhang Chutong and Wang Xinran for the women - are already confirmed. Currently training in Beijing, the team plans to travel to Milan in late January for pre-Games acclimatization once access to the Olympic venue is permitted.
In speed skating, the narrative is one of defense and resurgence. Men's 500m defending champion Gao Tingyu has managed injuries during this cycle but expressed confidence, saying, "The injury is basically under control within a manageable range." Meanwhile, Ning Zhongyan has emerged as a consistent force in the 1,500m, positioning himself as a leading medal hope.
The figure skating arena highlights a period of significant challenge. Facing a talent gap, Beijing 2022 pairs champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong came out of retirement to rejoin the team. Their comeback adds invaluable experience as they work to regain competitive form. "At present, Chinese figure skating is facing severe tests... so as a senior athlete I wanted to play a role," Sui explained.
ON SNOW: CEMENTING A NEW ERA OF STRENGTH
The most significant evolution is the rise of China's snow sports. At Beijing 2022, Chinese athletes won five gold and three silver medals on snow, outperforming their ice counterparts in the total medal count. This achievement marked a historic shift, altering the long-standing "strong on ice, weak on snow" pattern that had defined China's Winter Olympic history.
This transformed strength is now a central pillar of the Milan-Cortina campaign. The women's freeski halfpipe team exemplifies world-leading depth and is a top gold prospect. Alongside defending champion Gu Ailing stand elite skiers like Li Fanghui and Zhang Kexin, with the team aiming for multiple podium finishes.
"I will go all out with a fresh mindset and the enthusiasm of a newcomer, and then see what the final outcome will be," Gu told Olympics.com in June 2025, describing her approach to Milan-Cortina. The biggest lingering question, however, is whether Gu will also compete in the freeski big air and slopestyle events, in which she also won medals at Beijing 2022.
In snowboarding, Beijing 2022 big air champion Su Yiming is a focal point, having recently won back-to-back World Cups. He faces a highly competitive field and must adapt to unfamiliar slopes and snow conditions in the slopestyle event. The emergence of riders like Ge Chunyu shows the program's growing depth.
"I will put down my baggage and start from zero, facing this World Cup stop and the upcoming Winter Olympics as a challenger," Su said at a pre-event press conference in December 2025.
Beyond big air, reigning world championship silver medalist Su is also a top contender in slopestyle. He remains clear about his ultimate goal: "The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics is the final target."
The freeski aerials team, a traditional powerhouse, remains in the world's top tier across men's, women's and mixed team events. Veteran Xu Mengtao, targeting her fifth Olympics, continues to lead a squad that may blend experienced and new athletes. However, the sport's high unpredictability and the need to adapt to European conditions present notable challenges.
BROADER CAMPAIGN
Several other teams carry momentum into Milan. The women's curling team earned an early Olympic berth by finishing third at the 2025 World Championships and must sustain their tenacious, point-by-point fighting spirit. The men's team battled through a last-chance qualifier.
In sliding sports, the skeleton squad aims for another breakthrough following Yan Wengang's historic bronze in Beijing, as Yin Zheng has shown promising form, including setting a track record on the Olympic course in Cortina. The ski mountaineering team makes its Olympic debut, though reaching the podium remains a significant challenge.
FINAL PREPARATIONS
For Milan-Cortina 2026, which feature 116 events across 16 disciplines, China has already secured quotas for 20 male and 21 female athletes in the concluded ice events' qualifiers.
With the final qualification window for snow and sliding events closing on January 18, the country's Winter Olympic delegation is poised for a potential record overseas participation size.
All teams are now focused on final adjustments, addressing issues identified during the season, and fighting for every last qualifying point.
As the world's attention turns to Italy, China's athletes are set to test their evolved identity on the global stage, aiming to prove their rise in winter sports extends beyond home soil. ■
