National Public Ice and Snow Season opens in Tianjin

This month, international curling, skiing and speedskating competitions will be held in Tianjin.

Luo Zhihuan, China's first speedskating gold medal winner in a world competition for short track in 1963, said: "Despite the fact that I'm at the age of 78, I'm still training children in skating. I hold strong confidence in their potential."

Luo initiated a local skating club in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, last year.

"Now the club has around 20 children who are only aged from 3 to 7, and I believe they will have a brilliant future after training."

Wang Jinyu, 79, China's first gold medal winner for ice and snow sports in 1959, topping the world's competition in 5,000-meter track skating, said he was "happy" to meet Luo during the opening ceremony.

He also told young athletes preparing for the upcoming 2022 Olympic Winter Games, "Don't be too nervous and never give yourself too much pressure."