More Hulunbuir students skate into winter sports with boost from city

It also won the bidding for the 14th National Winter Games, which was planned for February but was postponed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Shi Juhua, deputy director of the city's sports bureau, said nearly half the local students have been involved in winter sports over the past few years, a significant rise.

"Our aim is 80 percent by 2025," she said.

But the lack of basic facilities used to hamper training efforts.