China's Olympic champion speed skater Ning Zhongyan delivered a statement home win in Beijing on Friday by beating US star Jordan Stolz's previous track record to win the 1,000m title at the season-opening World Cup meet.
Racing alongside Japan's Kazuya Yamada in pair four, Ning clocked 1 min and 7.43 sec to dominate the field of the 1,000m Group A final to win his first international meet on home ice since claiming the 1,500m Olympic gold medal at Milano-Cortina 2026 in February.
Ning's winning mark has carved 0.19 seconds off the event's previous track record at the National Speed Skating Oval, set by Stolz in November 2024 at a World Cup meet staged at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic venue.
The result handed the Chinese speed skating icon a perfect start to his new campaign, sparking loud cheers from his home crowd at the venue, known as the "Ice Ribbon" for its sleek look.
"It's such a great feeling to break Jordan's track record," Ning said during his mixed-zone interview right after the final.
"Still, I do have a slight regret that Jordan wasn't here. It would have been far more convincing if I could beat him in person on this ice tonight.
"That said, taking his venue record remains a huge confidence booster for me. This result came as a surprise to be honest, but it is well within my capability. I have full faith in myself."
Ning, drawn in an early pairing against Yamada, produced razor-sharp acceleration out of the blocks and held rock-solid lines through the turns.
He kept his rhythm all the way to the final straight, crossing the line and immediately glancing at the scoreboard before raising a fist to acknowledge the crowd.
Ning's compatriot Lian Ziwen added to the home joy, taking bronze in 1:08.07 to deliver a double delight for China's speed skating fans on the opening night of the three-day World Cup event.
The Ice Ribbon, the crown jewel venue of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, hosts the first stop of the 2026-27 ISU Speed Skating World Cup series, with more medals up for grabs across the weekend.
