"I'm preparing for this season with a lighter mindset, hoping to enjoy the races. These competitions will show how well I am gelling with my new coach and this new plan. After that, I will decide whether to stick with this independent model and keep working with the same coach next year."
The Dutch training experiment, despite challenging for most Chinese athletes due to the culture gap and language barrier, is catching on with more and more of Gao's elite counterparts, with the success story of Chinese middle-distance skater Ning Zhongyan inspiring more of his peers to follow suit.
Ning claimed China's first 1,500m Olympic title by outracing the talented Jordan Stolz of the United States in Milan in February, after significantly improving his form by adopting a similar overseas program under Dutch coach Johan De Wit.
Carving out a new pathway with a refreshed body and mind, Gao is looking forward to reinventing himself as he enters his fourth Olympic cycle, with his eyes set firmly on a trip to the French Alps in 2030.
He's taking baby steps, though, with the primary goal for this week to gather feedback about how much his Dutch experiment has helped.
"I'm still exploring everything right now. I hope it all works out for the best," added Gao, who will race in the 500m division A on Saturday evening.
"For me, this season is mostly about enjoying skating, finding joy in the sport again and relishing the competition process."
The ISU Speed Skating World Cup Beijing leg runs through Sunday at the 2022 Olympic venue known as the "Ice Ribbon", where more than 250 skaters from over 20 countries and regions will kick off the six-stop global series.
