Zhang skates into contention for IOC post

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - China's Olympic skating champion Zhang Hong has been named one of the six candidates to run for the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission elections next year, the IOC announced on Monday.

Zhang, 29, won China its first ever Olympic gold medal in speedskating in the women's 1,000 meters at the 2014 Sochi Games.

The IOC executive board approved the candidacies of six winter sports athletes for elections to be held during the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February.