HARBIN - Roman Ivanov and Sherzod Khashirbayev clinched the first snow event gold for Kazakhstan at the Harbin Asian Winter Games, as they triumphed in the Freestyle Skiing men's aerials synchro on Tuesday.

The pair delivered a stunning last-jump performance to overcome two Chinese duos, claiming the title with 97.92 points. China's Geng Hu and Yang Yuheng took the silver medal, while bronze went to their compatriots Li Xinpeng and Qi Guangpu.

All three pairs of podium finishers executed the same difficulty of 3.5250 in the final. The two Chinese pairs achieved a 1-2 finish after the first attempt, while the Kazakh duo trailed their Chinese contenders after a shaky jump. However, they followed up with a nearly perfect second jump to achieve the surprising victory.

In the women's aerials synchro, China's Feng Junxi and Wang Xue claimed gold with 87.12 points, edging their compatriots Chen Meiting and Xu Mengtao, who took the silver with 84.86 points. Kazakhstan's Ardana Makhanova and Ayana Zholdas earned the bronze medal.

XINHUA

The 11th Harbin Fashion Week brought a high degree of internationalization, strong creativity, broad participation and significant influence to the residents of China's Ice City, as well as domestic and foreign travelers.

The event in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, ran from Jan 10 to 15 and highlighted elements of ice, snow, creativity, romance and charm — energizing and promoting the 9th Asian Winter Games and demonstrating the vibrant charm of Harbin to the world.

During the event, designers from 25 countries and regions, including China, the United States, France and Germany, presented 35 fashion shows, many of which featured debut works.

"The international fashion trends brought by Harbin Fashion Week are increasingly recognized by the international fashion community," said Wang Limei, president of the Heilongjiang Clothing, Footwear and Hat Industry Association.

"As a global fashion platform, the event provides a better stage for Chinese designers to show their work, promoting the continuous development of the fashion industry in Harbin, as well as in the province."

As the host city of the 9th Asian Winter Games, Harbin's ice and snow culture, urban heritage and elements of the Games became important components of this year's event.

At one show, a particular garment caught everyone's attention.

Using three-dimensional tailoring techniques, Filipino designer Francis Libiran paid homage to the grace of the city's flower — the lilac — as part of his Harmony collection, with an ethereal purple gown.

"Temperature fuels creativity, and temperature differences inspire design ideas," said Wang. "Harbin has a temperature difference of 50 C throughout the year. The unique seasonal changes make the city a natural treasure trove for fashion designers to draw creative inspiration."

During the dance performance Yadong Shenghuo (Asian Winter Games Flame) performed by the Harbin Ballet Troupe, Wang carried the torch symbolizing the spirit of the Games.

In addition to showcasing creative fashion design, the event also focused on "cultural exchange, brand promotion, and industry aggregation".

A series of events, such as the"50 C Temperature Difference — Chinese Elements, International Fashion — World Fashion Designers' Conference" were held alongside the main show.

By focusing on Harbin's natural advantages, and its century-old heritage as a fashion hub, the event explored how Chinese elements inspire international designers creatively, promoting exchanges and cooperation as important drivers for the development of the international fashion industry and leading global fashion trends.

"The 50 C Temperature Difference is a fashion attitude," said Wu Xuekai, vice-chairman of the China Fashion Association.

"Harbin is a city with fashion dynamics, nurturing international fashion brands and possessing a multilevel, multidimensional cultural fusion."

During the event, designers from around the world were deeply impressed by the city's magnificent ice and snow attractions, and became global ambassadors for promoting Harbin's ice and snow culture.

"They have brought celebrities and fashion influencers from their countries and more foreign tourists to visit Harbin, fully unleashing the dissemination effect of Harbin Fashion Week," said Wang.

"They helped boost Harbin's tourism economy, and continuously enhance the international appeal of the city's ice and snow culture."

For instance, designers from Thailand introduced their country's beauty pageant winners to Harbin, while designers from Vietnam brought a 60-strong delegation to experience the joy of Harbin's winter tourism.

"I visited Harbin Ice and Snow World and many other ice and snow tourist spots," said Loris Narduzzi, a designer from Switzerland.

"I had a very wonderful experience. Harbin residents have created a very unique wonderland from ice and snow, attracting more people to come here and experience it, which is truly remarkable."

Over 10 successful editions, Harbin Fashion Week has attracted more than 1,300 international designers from about 70 countries and regions to showcase their work.

The World Fashion Designers Conference has provided an important platform for international designers to engage in exchanges and cooperation and, as such, the West City Red Square has been designated as the permanent venue for the event going forward.

China is known as one of the biggest fashion producers, and Harbin has used advanced technology to cement itself as one of the fashion capitals.

"Harbin Fashion Week takes innovation, green technology, fashion and sharing as its development concept," the event's organizers said.

"It takes artificial intelligence and high-tech as its driving force, and a beautiful life and fashion city as its theme," they added.

"In doing so, it stimulates innovation driven by endogenous power, creating and leading people's growing demand for a better life, highlighting internationalization, industrialization, artistry and marketization," the statement concluded.

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn

Thailand's cross-country skier Mark Chanloung is once again competing in China, this time at the Asian Winter Games, three years after making history with his family at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

In 2022, Mark and his sister, Karen Chanloung, represented Thailand in cross-country skiing. Their father Boonchan Chanloung was a team manager at the time, and their mother was a physiotherapist. Their family's Olympic journey, including the Pyeongchang Games in 2018, captivated Thailand, a tropical nation where winter sports are virtually unknown.

"My father is Thai, and my mother is Italian. My sister and I were born in a small mountain village in Italy where skiing is deeply rooted, so we started from a young age," Mark explained.

Now Mark and his father are back in China, though this time, his sister and mother are unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts. "Karen is thrilled that my dad and I are back in China," Mark said. "She keeps texting, asking how everything is going."

Despite their absence, Mark is far from alone. Surrounded by a group of much younger Thai teammates, he has naturally taken on a mentor role. In the team's locker room, a handful of teenage skiers huddle around him, discussing techniques and fine-tuning their equipment.

How does a tropical nation with an average temperature of nearly 30 C develop a pool of cross-country skiers?

The key lies in an ambitious initiative by Thailand's sports ministry.

"Thailand has no snow, but that doesn't mean we have no place in winter sports," said Taratip Chantawat, deputy head of the Thai delegation. "For us, winter sports represent an opportunity, and we want our children to have the same opportunities as those from other countries."

Since 2018, Thailand has fostered an interest in winter sports through roller skiing programs. Promising young athletes are then selected and sent to Europe, ROK and other locations for specialized training in events like cross-country skiing and alpine skiing during the snow season.

The results have been impressive. Seven years ago, Thailand had just 40 winter sports athletes. By 2024, that number had risen to 265, according to Chantawat.

Mark and his family have also played a crucial role in this initiative. As a two-time Olympian, he has become an idol for aspiring Thai skiers. His family has also helped establish a foundation to guide and support young athletes.

"What we're working on is amazing," Mark said. "It's very challenging, but we are doing our best to help these talented kids."

One such athlete is 15-year-old Natthaatcha Chatthitimetee, the youngest member of Thailand's cross-country skiing team. Having taken up the sport only three years ago, she is also participating in the Asian Winter Games.

When she shared her aspiration to reach the women's sprint semifinals and finish among the top 16, her teammates erupted in cheers, and Mark smiled, offering encouragement.

"Cross-country skiing is tough," he said. "You have to endure extreme coldness, so different from Thailand. But, it's also exciting. If you keep working hard, you can reach your goals."

As for his future, Mark has already set his sights on the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

"After the competition in Harbin, I'll start fighting for my Olympic qualification," he said. "Karen and I both want to make it three straight Winter Olympics for Thailand."

Beyond that, Mark has even bigger ambitions. "I hope to become a coach in the future. I want to help more young Thai teenagers step onto the snow."

XINHUA

No coach, no trainer, no teammate — no one to service his skis.

Sharif Zawaideh stood alone as Jordan's sole representative at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.

But he wasn't lonely.

On the eve of the opening ceremony, he marked his 45th birthday surrounded by athletes from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and beyond. "And I got to be the flag bearer as my birthday present," he said.

Finishing 30th in the men's slalom, Zawaideh departed Monday night for Austria to compete in the Alpine Ski World Championships.

But, before leaving, he had plenty of goodbyes to say — to athletes from other countries, particularly those from the Middle East. "We've really bonded and become friends," he said.

"What's been really special about being here is that I train in the United States, even though I'm from Jordan, and there's not many people from Jordan or the Middle Eastern Arab countries that ski, and I don't feel like I belong in skiing when I'm in Europe or America," he said.

"But, being here, and being part of something that's so international, that brings more diversity to a sport that is very much dominated by Europeans and Americans, it's been really great. If only just to showcase that, just because we're from countries that don't have snow or don't have mountains, we can participate too."

"The Asian Winter Games are a very important thing for Asia and for the Middle East."

Zawaideh's time in China left a lasting impression — especially the warmth and hospitality of the people he encountered.

"We have three volunteers assisting Team Jordan, and every morning they help with the car, my equipment, transportation, meals and guest passes. Even the security staff, drivers, and hotel employees have been incredibly welcoming and accommodating, despite the language barrier," he said.

With only a short window between his competition and his late-night flight, Zawaideh expressed his desire to experience some of Harbin before departing. "I'd love to visit the Ice and Snow World, explore the Asian Games center and catch some curling or hockey matches."

Born and raised in the United States, Zawaideh has always felt a deep connection to his homeland of Jordan — a country better known for its scorching summers and vast deserts than for winter sports.

Zawaideh learned to ski in the US and turned his passion into a career as a ski instructor in Wyoming. In 2010, he reached out to the Jordan Olympic Committee, hoping to compete for his country. However, with no winter sports federation in place at the time, his dream was put on hold.

"There aren't many Jordanians, or even many Arabs, who ski," he said.

For over two decades, the dual-national athlete straddled the cultural divide between the US and Jordan, unsure if he would ever get the chance to represent his country. Then, in 2023, frustrated by unanswered emails, he took an unconventional approach — sending a direct message to the Jordan Olympic Committee's official Instagram account.

To his surprise, he received a positive response and, at the Asian Winter Games, Zawaideh has finally realized his dream of competing as an alpine skier for Jordan.

For Zawaideh, skiing is the ultimate expression of freedom — gliding down the snow, guided by gravity, whether on an alpine racecourse or a big-mountain free ride. "There's truly no feeling like it," he said.

"Maybe you practice meditation in your life to clear your mind. Skiing is almost meditative. If you're thinking about anything other than your next turn, you're done — it's over," he explained. "You have to be completely focused and calm, and that brings me a deep sense of peace."

At the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Zawaideh is the oldest alpine skier in the competition — but he doesn't feel it.

"I think age is really a mindset. If you stay active and don't just sit on the couch as you get older, your body can still perform — maybe not as well as when you were 20, but close," he said. "And if this were a foot race up the mountain, I bet I could beat most of these guys."

"I'm nearly eight years older than the next oldest competitor," he said, believing his age gives him an edge mentally.

"I don't get nervous, I don't get scared and I'm not worried about the crowd or standing at the top of the course," he added with a laugh. "But, I do have a harder time getting out of bed in the morning."

Skiing doesn't take up Zawaideh's entire life, though, as he also runs a logistics company for music festivals.

"I've always been a skier, but I've only recently become a ski racer," he said. "In the winter, I teach skiing, but my focus has always been on big-mountain free riding."

The next Asian Winter Games will be held in Saudi Arabia, where Zawaideh, who will be 49 by then, hopes to compete again. "As long as I stay healthy, I'll keep going — and I'd love to take part," he said.

For him, growing Jordan's presence in winter sports is just as important as his own journey. He looks forward to the day when he's no longer the only Jordanian on the slopes, attending coaching meetings alone, or adjusting his skis without a team.

"I hope to inspire more Jordanians to try ice and snow sports," he said. "There's no reason we can't have skiers, skaters and maybe even a hockey team in the future."

Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn

Samaneh Beyrami Baher of Iran completed the women's 5km free cross-country skiing event at the Harbin Asian Winter Games in a state of excitement, celebrating as if she had won gold, despite finishing in 19th place.

"This is my first competition in China, and it feels like I'm participating in the Olympics. Everything here is fantastic — the facilities, the track, the organization and the food — it's all up to Olympic standards," the 33-year-old said.

Having coached Iran at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, the Republic of Korea, last year, she knew that a podium finish was not her goal here in Harbin. "I just want to give it my all. There are many outstanding athletes competing," she said.

Beyrami Baher's passion for skiing began as a teenager in Teheran, where she grew up in a sports-oriented family. Her father was a member of Iran's national karate team and her mother was an aerobics instructor, and both significantly influenced her early love for sports.

Initially drawn to swimming, her true love for winter sports blossomed during a family ski trip, during which she was awestruck by local skiers who zipped down the steep slopes with incredible skill. "I thought how do they do it? How can they be so fearless?" Beyrami Baher recalled.

Intrigued, she sought advice from locals and researched skiing techniques online.

"I gradually fell in love with the sport. It filled my spare time and became a big part of my life," she said. "Skiing is less common in Iran, and there's limited support, but I wanted to break that barrier and represent my country at the Winter Olympics."

Cross-country skiing, known as the "snow marathon" for its extreme physical demands, became her primary focus. Despite growing up in a city, Beyrami Baher overcame the challenge of training in harsh, cold conditions — a notion that deterred many from pursuing the sport.

With no ski resorts in Teheran, she often drives north to train on mountainous terrain, sometimes spending two hours in heavy traffic just to reach the training slopes.

While other athletes train all year round with structured schedules, Beyrami Baher had to balance her commitments as an architect with her athletic aspirations, fitting in training sessions early in the morning and late at night.

"It's hard to keep going, but I love it because it's challenging," she said. "Sometimes, I feel defeated, but the dream of competing at the Olympics pushes me to overcome those challenges."

Her dreams came true in 2018 when she qualified for the Pyeongchang Games. At the opening ceremony, she had the honor of carrying the Iranian flag, a moment that left her overwhelmed with emotion.

"I cried out of happiness. I promised to do my best and make my country proud," she recalled.

As she matures, Beyrami Baher has transitioned into mentoring young athletes. "I have many rules — discipline is crucial, it's a red line," she explained. "When they're tired, I allow them to rest, but discipline is important. Without it, I wouldn't have achieved what I have today."

Beyrami Baher hopes to inspire more women to engage in sports. "Sport can truly change your life. It builds confidence and brings new experiences. I believe Iranian women are talented and can achieve great things in sports."

XINHUA

It took Xu Mengtao, China's star skier, 12 years to clinch her first Olympic gold medal, a long-awaited achievement since her Olympic debut. But, the journey to her first Asian Winter Games title took even longer.

Eighteen years since her debut at the 2007 Asian Winter Games in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, where she won silver in freestyle skiing women's aerials, Xu finally turned that silver medal into gold at the 2025 Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.

The wait was undeniably worth it. Two days in a row, Xu soared to victory, winning both freestyle skiing women's aerials and the mixed team aerials, her triumphs celebrated by hundreds of enthusiastic fans cheering her on in her home country.

"When I first competed in the Asian Winter Games, I never imagined that, 18 years later, I would return, and to right here at home. For an aerials athlete, maintaining peak form at this age is no easy feat," Xu said.

"This is my first time competing in Yabuli, and the venue is fantastic, with perfect weather to match. I was fully focused on my performance today, and I'm thrilled to win my first Asian Winter Games gold here," she said.

In the women's aerials final, the 34-year-old Olympic champion delivered a commanding performance, earning 90.94 points to claim the victory, while her teammate Chen Xuezheng secured the silver with 81.58.

Xu's first jump was even more impressive, scoring 97.99 and advancing her to the second round.

"I'm thrilled with my performance," Xu said. "The first-round score is my seasonal best for that routine, which my coaching team and I were very pleased with. In the final, I continued to perform well. With earlier competitors making errors, my focus shifted to maintaining consistency and delivering a stable performance."

At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Xu's jubilant scream after claiming the gold captured the hearts of many, becoming an iconic moment of the Games. With four Olympic appearances, Xu not only fulfilled her own dream, but also secured China's first-ever women's gold in freestyle skiing women's aerials.

Since then, Xu has stayed in the public spotlight, though not only through competition — she has also made appearances on variety shows. It wasn't until a year-and-a-half later that she made her comeback to the sport.

"Every field has its unique charm. By exploring different areas and returning to my specialty, I gain more composure and confidence, allowing me to fully appreciate the sport," Xu explained.

"I've never taken such a long break before coming back, but I've proven to myself I can still succeed. Confidence has been gradually building. The key is never giving up — your efforts will pay off when you need them most."

With the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics just around the corner, Xu has pledged to train harder than ever, aiming to greet her supporters from the top step of the podium in Milan.

"My passion is the main driver. I truly love aerials, and we are helping each other grow," she said. "I believe that by pushing for the Milan Winter Olympics, I will contribute to the growth of the sport."

liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn

Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province and host city of the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games, has once again become a tourist hot spot this winter, attracting countless visitors from around the world.

Data from the city's bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism shows that from Jan 1 to Feb 9, Harbin received a total of 424,000 inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 145.1 percent.

During the recent eight-day Spring Festival holiday, Harbin received around 100,000 inbound tourists, a 144.7 percent increase compared to the previous year.

"Since the start of the ice and snow season, we have been focusing on the needs of tourists, comprehensively upgrading tourism services, and striving to provide a thorough and multilevel service experience for domestic and foreign tourists," Wang Hongxin, director of the bureau said at a news conference on Monday.

"Major tourist attractions such as Harbin Ice and Snow World, Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo and the Siberian Tiger Park have been equipped with Chinese and English signs and guide maps, as well as guides and broadcasting services in multiple languages," said Wang. "Central Street has achieved full coverage of free WiFi, and provides services such as temporary rest areas, ginger tea, hot water and luggage storage for tourists."

Wang noted that there are over 1,300 bank branches in the city that can handle foreign currency exchanges and over 5,800 shops that can accept foreign card payments.

Foreign currency self-service exchange machines have been installed at Harbin Taiping International Airport and the Central Street Tourism Distribution Center.

The Games have driven rapid growth in the ice and snow tourism market in Harbin, and even across the whole province, significantly enhancing Heilongjiang's international influence and visibility.

"Heilongjiang boasts picturesque natural landscapes and abundant ice and snow resources, making it a renowned ice and snow tourism destination, both domestically and internationally," said Qi Bin, deputy director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. "We have developed 10 ice and snow tourism themed routes based on Heilongjiang's unique frontier culture, ice and snow culture, and folk culture, as well as organizing a series of distinctive ice and snow cultural activities."

In recent years, the province's public security department has focused on protecting tourism throughout the seasons and regions, meeting the needs and expectations of tourists, and striving to create a secure tourism environment.

"We have established a specialized command system and formulated tourism protection plans," said Deng Chi, deputy director of the department. "We have enhanced security management in tourist areas and increased police presence at tourist attractions and commercial streets to ensure smooth traffic flow and resolutely guarantee safety."

"During severe weather conditions, we will intensify road traffic management and issue timely alert messages," he said. "We have also implemented various service measures, such as establishing green channels for issuing and replacing identification cards, providing more than 5,000 convenient services for tourists, including locating individuals, lost and found items and rescue assistance."

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn

The 11th Harbin Fashion Week brought a high degree of internationalization, strong creativity, broad participation and significant influence to the residents of China's Ice City, as well as domestic and foreign travelers.

The event in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, ran from Jan 10 to 15 and highlighted elements of ice, snow, creativity, romance and charm — energizing and promoting the 9th Asian Winter Games and demonstrating the vibrant charm of Harbin to the world.

During the event, designers from 25 countries and regions, including China, the United States, France and Germany, presented 35 fashion shows, many of which featured debut works.

"The international fashion trends brought by Harbin Fashion Week are increasingly recognized by the international fashion community," said Wang Limei, president of the Heilongjiang Clothing, Footwear and Hat Industry Association.

"As a global fashion platform, the event provides a better stage for Chinese designers to show their work, promoting the continuous development of the fashion industry in Harbin, as well as in the province."

As the host city of the 9th Asian Winter Games, Harbin's ice and snow culture, urban heritage and elements of the Games became important components of this year's event.

At one show, a particular garment caught everyone's attention.

Using three-dimensional tailoring techniques, Filipino designer Francis Libiran paid homage to the grace of the city's flower — the lilac — as part of his Harmony collection, with an ethereal purple gown.

"Temperature fuels creativity, and temperature differences inspire design ideas," said Wang. "Harbin has a temperature difference of 50 C throughout the year. The unique seasonal changes make the city a natural treasure trove for fashion designers to draw creative inspiration."

During the dance performance Yadong Shenghuo (Asian Winter Games Flame) performed by the Harbin Ballet Troupe, Wang carried the torch symbolizing the spirit of the Games.

In addition to showcasing creative fashion design, the event also focused on "cultural exchange, brand promotion, and industry aggregation".

A series of events, such as the"50 C Temperature Difference — Chinese Elements, International Fashion — World Fashion Designers' Conference" were held alongside the main show.

By focusing on Harbin's natural advantages, and its century-old heritage as a fashion hub, the event explored how Chinese elements inspire international designers creatively, promoting exchanges and cooperation as important drivers for the development of the international fashion industry and leading global fashion trends.

"The 50 C Temperature Difference is a fashion attitude," said Wu Xuekai, vice-chairman of the China Fashion Association.

"Harbin is a city with fashion dynamics, nurturing international fashion brands and possessing a multilevel, multidimensional cultural fusion."

During the event, designers from around the world were deeply impressed by the city's magnificent ice and snow attractions, and became global ambassadors for promoting Harbin's ice and snow culture.

"They have brought celebrities and fashion influencers from their countries and more foreign tourists to visit Harbin, fully unleashing the dissemination effect of Harbin Fashion Week," said Wang.

"They helped boost Harbin's tourism economy, and continuously enhance the international appeal of the city's ice and snow culture."

For instance, designers from Thailand introduced their country's beauty pageant winners to Harbin, while designers from Vietnam brought a 60-strong delegation to experience the joy of Harbin's winter tourism.

"I visited Harbin Ice and Snow World and many other ice and snow tourist spots," said Loris Narduzzi, a designer from Switzerland.

"I had a very wonderful experience. Harbin residents have created a very unique wonderland from ice and snow, attracting more people to come here and experience it, which is truly remarkable."

Over 10 successful editions, Harbin Fashion Week has attracted more than 1,300 international designers from about 70 countries and regions to showcase their work.

The World Fashion Designers Conference has provided an important platform for international designers to engage in exchanges and cooperation and, as such, the West City Red Square has been designated as the permanent venue for the event going forward.

China is known as one of the biggest fashion producers, and Harbin has used advanced technology to cement itself as one of the fashion capitals.

"Harbin Fashion Week takes innovation, green technology, fashion and sharing as its development concept," the event's organizers said.

"It takes artificial intelligence and high-tech as its driving force, and a beautiful life and fashion city as its theme," they added.

"In doing so, it stimulates innovation driven by endogenous power, creating and leading people's growing demand for a better life, highlighting internationalization, industrialization, artistry and marketization," the statement concluded.

The men's ice hockey team of Macao, China, ended up almost as a punching bag at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, conceding 56 goals across four games, to finish last but one.

However, the all-amateur team, composed of firefighters, office workers and high school students, came back against all the odds by snatching a memorable 4-3 overtime victory, its first and only at the event, over fellow minnows Bahrain in a classification match on Monday to eventually sign off its Asiad debut in 13th place in the 14-team tournament, only above the winless Gulf nation.

It was not quite a result that anyone would brag about, but this respectable effort should've left everyone on the Macao team — from its longest-serving forward, 52-year-old Un Kin-fai, to its youngest skater, 15-year-old Li Chon-hei — proud of having achieved what they set out to do.

"Not everyone in the tournament is here to compete for the medals," said the team's head coach Ho Chon-nin after its 2-4 loss to India in its final round-robin game in Group C on Sunday at the Harbin Ice Hockey Arena.

"We are here to gain as much experience as possible on the international stage, get some quality exercise and show our spirit. I think we should be happy as long as we do these things," Ho said.

They did this on Feb 3 against eventual group winner Hong Kong, China, by putting up a brave fight against a much higher-ranked squad and scoring the team's first goal at the Winter Asiad in the round-robin match, despite losing 26-1.

The hockey tournaments kicked off four days before the Games' opening ceremony on Friday, due to the lengthy competition schedule.

"We learned a lot (from the match) and we made the fans at the arena cheer for us with the goal. It felt so inspiring," said Argus Hong, who scored that first goal and celebrated his 18th birthday on Monday.

The team enjoyed rousing cheers from a full house at the 5,500-seat arena, which has four Olympic-sized 1,800-square-meter rinks, after having to train at a smaller rented rink in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, for over a year.

The only ice rink in the Macao Special Administrative Region, which was one-third the size of a standard Olympic rink, was closed at the end of 2023 for renovation, forcing ice hockey enthusiasts, along with some speed skaters and figure skaters, to find a temporary training facility in neighboring Zhuhai.

However, that rink, where coach Ho and his players practiced three times a week at night after work and school, was smaller than the standard size if they wished to truly make the moves required of them during the Harbin Asian Winter Games.

As a result, the Macao Ice Sports Federation offered timely help by funding the team to train at a standard Olympic rink in Shenzhen, Guangdong, for a weeklong camp before the Winter Asiad.

After twice relocating their training base and overcoming challenges in logistics, the team arrived in Harbin on schedule and in high spirits.

"We never had the opportunity to play on a full-size rink for the past year until we were offered the chance to practice at the rink in Shenzhen. We cherished the opportunity very much and we tried to make the best out of it," team captain Leong Chon-kong told China Central Television before the Games.

"We don't have a rink now at home, but the effort we made (to prepare for the Games) and the passion we have for the sport are as much as any other team," said Leong, a full-time firefighter.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

"Home, sweet home," echoed in the minds of Chinese speed skaters Gao Tingyu and Ning Zhongyan as they stepped into the familiar surroundings of the Speed Skating Oval at the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center, a place where the local pair trained from a young age.

Amid the cheers of the home fans on Monday, Gao won his second gold of the Games, adding to his men's speed skating 100m title from Saturday, with a scintillating run in the men's 500m that saw him outpace Japan's Wataru Morishige and Republic of Korea's Kim Jun-ho.

Ning claimed top honors in the men's 1,500m at the Harbin Asian Winter Games on Saturday. Gao was China's sole gold medalist in speed skating at the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan, where he won the men's 500m race.

He also became China's first male Olympic speed skating champion when he clinched the 500m gold at Beijing 2022 in an Olympic-record time of 34.32 seconds. Harbin 2025 marks not just Gao's second journey to the Winter Asiad, but also a homecoming to the place where his dreams had taken root.

On Saturday Gao was again duelling with Kim. Prior to his run, Yevgeniy Koshkin of Kazakhstan was in first place with a time of 9.47 seconds.

Gao, though, remained calm.

"When I saw their results, I felt even more determined and thought I must win this gold medal," he recalled.

As the signal blared, he exploded into motion, his arms pumping furiously at his sides to generate maximum speed. With each powerful stride, his razor-sharp bladed bit into the ice, sending shavings from the frozen surface flying.

Despite struggling with injuries on this season's World Cup circuit, Gao managed to defend his title. He clocked 9.35 seconds, setting a new Asian record.

"I am very happy to win this gold medal at home. I trained on this ice rink when I was young, and I also won my first World Cup medal here, so this place holds special meaning for me. I am very happy to give back to the people of my hometown with a gold medal," Gao said.

Ning, a debutant at the Asian Winter Games and one of the Chinese delegation's flagbearers at Friday's opening ceremony, emerged victorious in the men's 1,500m with a time of one minute and 45.85 seconds, followed by two Japanese skaters Kazuya Yamada and Ryota Kojima who finished 1.70 and 2.62 seconds behind, respectively.

For Ning, one of his goals was to break the venue record.

"The current venue record here was set by Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer, and the result is displayed at the entrance. He is certainly a respected athlete, but I hope to see a Chinese name on this venue's 1,500m record," he explained.

And he made it happen. Not only did he break the venue record, but his time of 1:45.85 also set a new Asiad record.

Ning, who was born in Mudanjiang, a prefecture-level city in Heilongjiang's southeast, developed his love for speed skating when he was 10 years old, after a teacher at his primary school poured an ice rink for the children.

Ning, 25, mentioned that Gao is his role model.

"This title is a small dream come true for me, but I have a bigger one," said Ning, who finished fifth at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

"I feel I am more mature now, and I hope to make a greater breakthrough at Milano-Cortina 2026."

"This is an important testing ground ahead of the Winter Olympics. I hope the entire team can find their form during the Winter Asiad and deliver even better results in Milan," Gao added.

Contact the writer at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn

HARBIN -- Gao Tingyu won his second and third gold medals at the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games (AWG) as he defended his men's 500m title before joining hands with Ning Zhongyan and Lian Ziwen to claim the team sprint victory here on Monday.

Yang Binyu led another podium sweep for China in the women's 3,000m and China sits firmly on top of the medal tally after taking seven gold, four silver and four bronze medals from 10 events up to Monday.

The result has already marked the best record achieved by Chinese speed skaters at an AWG with four events yet to be staged on Tuesday. The previous record was set during the 6th AWG in Changchun when China bagged five gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

Hot favorite in the 500m distance, Gao had to beat Olympic bronzed medalist Wataru Morishige's 34.97-second mark to win as he started in the 12th and last pair. And the Olympic champion did it again, edging his Japanese rival by 0.02 seconds to win his second gold medal at the Harbin AWG in 34.95.

"When I noticed my opponent's result, my heart gave a sudden lurch. It was indeed very fast," Gao admitted. "But when I stepped to the starting line, I knew I would beat him."

Having won the 100m event on Saturday, Gao's third gold came just two hours after his second when the Chinese team raced to one minute and 19.22 seconds in the men's team sprint, 1.26 seconds faster than South Korea. Japan was 0.24 seconds further behind.

This was the second gold medal for Ning, who made his debut at the AWG, and the 25-year-old was happy to add a team event gold to his individual 1,500m one.

"This speaks for our overall strength as a team, and we are very satisfied with the result," Ning said.

In the women's 3,000m final, Yang skated to four minutes and 8.54 seconds in the penultimate pair, ahead of compatriot Tai Zhien's time of 4:12.01. All eyes were on Han Mei when she started her race and the 27-year-old finished in 4:09.06, 0.52 seconds behind Yang.

This marked the third time Chinese skaters had swept the podium in a speed skating event in Harbin, after their triumphs in the women's 1,500m and the men's 5,000m.

"I feel so proud and excited to see three Chinese flags hoisted to the national anthem, especially it was for me this time," said Yang, who was second to Han in the 1,500m race.

Han was also happy to win her third medal of the AWG and the middle distance specialist was content with her performance. "I did not focus on long distance in recent years, so the time was satisfying for me. What matters is that we got the medals," she said.

The versatile skater will compete again in the women's 1,000m and team pursuit on the last competition day of speed skating on Sunday, which also sees men's 1,000m and team pursuit events.

HARBIN - Chinese snowboarders won big on Monday, sweeping the men's and women's Big Air golds, as Yang Wenlong and Xiong Shirui triumphed in their respective categories at the Harbin Asian Winter Games.

Yang, who had faced disappointment in the slopestyle event just days earlier, returned to form with a dazzling performance in the men's Big Air. His first round featured a breathtaking trick executed with precision, earning a top score of 95.50 points.

But it was in the third round that he truly stunned the crowd, landing a backside 1800 with impressive height and speed. The judges rewarded him with 97.75 points, securing his victory with a total of 193.25 points, giving him a 33-point margin over compatriot Jiang Xinjie in second place.

"I knew I had to give it my all today," said Yang after his victory. "The team environment is excellent, and the support from everyone really helped me perform at my best. I feel like I'm on an upward trajectory this season, and this gold medal feels like a confirmation of that."

XINHUA

Behind Jiang, South Korea's Kang Donghun claimed the bronze medal with 158.76 points.

In the women's event, Xiong took center stage, clinching her second medal in Harbin after taking silver in slopestyle. Xiong's execution was flawless throughout, but it was her second-round frontside 720 that stole the show, earning the event's highest score of 88.25.

Her consistency in the first two rounds allowed her to secure gold with a total score of 164.00 points, ahead of fellow Chinese Zhang Xiaonan, who had won gold in the slopestyle. Japan's Suzuka Ishimoto took the bronze.

"I made adjustments after the slopestyle competition," said Xiong. "The training and mindset were key to my success today. The weather was perfect, and I was able to execute my plan without hesitation. I'm thrilled with the result."

XINHUA

Despite arriving in Harbin, the Heilongjiang provincial capital, at midnight, Bu Shengyao rose early the next day and spent the entire morning posing for photos on the square in front of St Sophia Cathedral.

"This is my most important task during my trip to the city," said the 25-year-old from Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang province.

"Wearing European-style royal attire and holding a scepter, I enjoy the experience of dressing up as a princess," she added.

The cathedral, one of the best-known landmarks in Harbin and a well-preserved example of Russian Revival e architecture in China, is open to the public as an architectural art gallery.

Bu said: "As such photos are quite popular on social media, I booked my photoshoot with a travel photography shop in Harbin several days in advance. I have never seen such magnificent Russian-style architecture before, and I am really looking forward to receiving my photos."

The Harbin branch of Daka Travel Photography has received 40 to 50 customers each day during this winter season.

Zhao Wenlin, manager of the business, said: "Most of our customers come from southern areas of China, such as Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Shanghai. Their ages range from 8 to around 50 years old.

"Daka Travel Photography, which is based in Beijing, has branches nationwide, but the one in Harbin is by far the company's busiest," she said. "There are at least 100 photographic shops in the surrounding area, and our staff usually work from 9 am to midnight."

As the snow and ice economy continues to boom, Harbin has once again jumped to the top of the winter travel list for domestic and foreign tourists.

The ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games has also been a big draw for international tourists this winter, offering an even bigger boost to the already vigorous local ice and snow economy.

Harbin Railway Station, with its European-style architecture, has also gained fame on social media.

Since China Railway Harbin Group operated the first photography-themed train in early January, approximately 1,000 passengers have taken photos on Train K5197, which runs between Harbin and Yabuli, the ski resort cluster hosting the snow sports at the Games.

Wearing colorful Chinese and European-style costumes, passengers can enjoy photoshoots in two train carriages that have been decorated in different themes: Ice and Snow Fairy Tale and Nordic Street.

The group selected employees with an affinity for photography, makeup and picture editing, forming a specialist team to provide free photography services to passengers.

Passengers aboard the train can book the service by scanning a QR code.

The group also actively invites passengers to participate in costume shows, immersing everyone in the fun.

When group employee Zhang Peng heard about the service, he immediately signed up.

"I am a trained chef, but also a photography enthusiast," said the 38-year-old. "Although I have taken numerous photos, I knew little about portrait photography."

To capture satisfactory pictures for passengers, Zhang used his spare time to learn from nearby photography studios, and extensively researched composition techniques online.

"When I get on the train carrying my camera, I communicate with the passengers in advance to understand their preferred photo styles, themes, specific scene requirements, poses and personal preferences," he said.

"After shooting, I also collect feedback from them to understand how satisfied they are with the service and photo quality and get suggestions for the shooting process, in order to identify issues promptly and make improvements," he added.

Train attendant Su Ruiqi takes on the role of a makeup artist, along with two other young colleagues, who take turns assisting on the photography-themed train when they're off-duty.

"With the increasing popularity of ice and snow tourism, I now have to do makeup for at least six or seven passengers every day," said Su. "During the process, I will match the passengers' makeup with their clothing styles.

For European-style clothing, I apply a heavier makeup, while for Chinese-style attire, I use lighter makeup."

In addition to enjoying photography, young passengers also love collecting stamps as souvenirs.

"We have set up several stamping points on the train, displaying decorations with regional ice and snow characteristics and cultural elements," said Zhang Yan, Party secretary of the Beijing-Harbin fleet. "They can take their own photos during the waiting period for makeup and photography appointments."

On the information boards on the train, staff have posted QR codes providing easy access to information about popular photo spots, attractions, ski resorts and travel information.

"It was my first time experiencing photography on a train, which truly surprised me," said He Zihan, a passenger from Shanghai. "In the past, when I took a train, I always wanted to reach the destination quickly and head to the tourist spots, but this time, I wished time could have slowed down a bit, allowing me more time to take photos."

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn

An ambitious Hong Kong delegation is focused on developing top-level talent for the future, sending its largest contingent ever — over a hundred athletes — to the 9th Asian Winter Games.

Its athletes have been participating in six events — curling, figure skating, short-track speed skating, speed skating, ice hockey and alpine skiing.

"This event is the best stage to showcase the years of hard work following the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics," Yue Kwok-yin, chairman of the Ski Association of Hong Kong, China, told newspaper Wenweipo. "Of course, we hope that our athletes can win medals."

Yue believes that the Hong Kong team has an advantage in alpine skiing, but the results of skiing competitions are greatly influenced by on-site performance.

"Currently, Hong Kong's highest world ranking in alpine skiing is 57th and we hope to improve that ranking through this event, even aiming to win medals," he said.

Despite being a snowless city, development of winter sports in the special administrative region has been progressing steadily, especially in alpine skiing.

The number of alpine skiers has increased from one to eight from the 2022 Beijing Olympics to the Harbin Asian Winter Games, with four male and four female athletes.

"It indicates that they have passed rigorous evaluations and accumulated rich competition experience, proving the progress of Hong Kong's alpine skiing," said Siu Fai-ho, secretary-general of the association.

"However, Hong Kong does not have natural snowfields, so training can only be done in the Chinese mainland or abroad," said Siu. "There are also other challenges. For instance, the athletes are also students, so the training time can only be arranged during the holidays."

Despite limited training opportunities throughout the year and tight schedules, all team members have given their best efforts and made significant progress.

"At the 32nd Asian Alpine Ski Championships (Junior) 2024 in Jilin province last March, we won a bronze medal, which was not easy to achieve," he said. "Furthermore, some Hong Kong athletes competing in the 2025 Asian Winter Games have transitioned from ice skating to alpine skiing, which means they need to abandon long-developed habits and establish a new system of movements on snow."

"The transition to alpine skiing, with its high speed and physical demands, is extremely difficult," he said. "Obtaining qualification for the Games demonstrates the relentless efforts of Hong Kong's athletes."

To cultivate more talent, the Hong Kong ski team has established its own promotion system, including the "Future Star" program for children aged between 8 and 12.

Those older than 12 have an opportunity to join the "Development Team" and, via systematic training and event selection, qualified members will be promoted to the Hong Kong ski team.

"Our association is committed to providing a development platform for new athletes," said Siu. "Once athletes achieve certain results, many excellent universities in Hong Kong will give priority to their admission, with some even offering scholarships, an initiative that has received widespread acclaim."

Meanwhile, older athletes can choose to transition into coaching to continue contributing to Hong Kong's winter sports program.

"The promotion system provides athletes with diverse career paths, allowing them to continue competing as athletes or pursue further education at universities, offering them a broad range of opportunities," said Siu.

"The ultimate goal is to cultivate more outstanding athletes and attract more skiing enthusiasts to contribute to Hong Kong's winter sports program."

Although eager to attract talent, Siu emphasized that safety is always the top priority in all training sessions.

"The skills required for alpine skiing are quite technical, so we invited former Winter Olympic athletes to coach the youngsters," said Siu. "Their standards and requirements for the children are high."

As alpine skiing is a dangerous sport, insurance is provided for each student, and there are strict requirements for equipment, such as protective gear, helmets and even mouth guards, before engaging in the sport.

"Because of this thorough preparation, there are not many risks involved," he said. "The coaches also insist on safety awareness — they will first teach the children how to protect themselves."

Yue, who has been deeply involved in the exchange and interaction between Heilongjiang and Hong Kong in winter sports for many years, is well aware of Heilongjiang's significant advantages in winter sports.

"Heilongjiang has a long history of winter sports, and is driving the development of the winter sports industry," said Yue. "It is renowned worldwide for its snow quality and snowmaking capabilities.

"The Games are a good opportunity to promote the province's winter sports advantages," he added.

Yue also believes that constant communication is crucial for nurturing athletes.

"I eagerly hope that the exchange between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong in winter sports can be further strengthened, with future training and competitions taking place more frequently in the Chinese mainland," he said. "There are approximately 20,000 skiing enthusiasts in Hong Kong, who actively participate in winter sports tourism."

"Hong Kong has also expended a great effort to cultivate winter sports talent, hoping to elevate winter sports to new heights," he added.

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn

"Home, sweet home," echoed in the minds of Chinese speed skaters Gao Tingyu and Ning Zhongyan as they stepped into the familiar surroundings of the Speed Skating Oval at the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center, a venue where the local pair trained from a young age.

Amid the cheers of the home fans, Gao went on to win the men's 100m gold, while Ning claimed top honors in the men's 1,500m at the Harbin Asian Winter Games on Saturday. Gao was China's sole gold medalist in speed skating at the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan, where he won the men's 500m race. He also became China's first male Olympic speed skating champion when he clinched the 500m gold at Beijing 2022 in an Olympic-record time of 34.32 seconds. Harbin 2025 marks not just Gao's second journey to the Winter Asiad, but also a homecoming to the place where his dreams had taken root.

On Saturday Gao was the last to start, duelling with Korean athlete Kim Jun-ho. Prior to his run, Yevgeniy Koshkin of Kazakhstan was in first place with a time of 9.47 seconds.

Gao, though, remained calm.

"When I saw their results, I felt even more determined and thought I must win this gold medal," he recalled.

As the signal blared, he exploded into motion, his arms pumping furiously at his sides to generate maximum speed. With each powerful stride, his razor-sharp bladed bit into the ice, sending shavings from the frozen surface flying.

Despite struggling with injuries on this season's World Cup circuit, Gao managed to defend his title. He clocked 9.35 seconds, setting a new Asian record.

"I am very happy to win this gold medal at home. I trained on this ice rink when I was young, and I also won my first World Cup medal here, so this place holds special meaning for me. I am very happy to give back to the people of my hometown with a gold medal," Gao said.

Ning, a debutant at the Asian Winter Games and one of the Chinese delegation's flagbearers at Friday's opening ceremony, emerged victorious in the men's 1,500m with a time of one minute and 45.85 seconds, followed by two Japanese skaters Kazuya Yamada and Ryota Kojima who finished 1.70 and 2.62 seconds behind, respectively.

For Ning, one of his goals in this competition was to break the venue record.

"I grew up on this ice rink, and the 1,500m is my main event. The current venue record here was set by Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer, and the result is displayed at the entrance of the venue. He is certainly a respected athlete, but I hope to see a Chinese name on this venue's 1,500m record," he explained.

And he made it happen. Not only did he break the venue record, but his time of 1:45.85 also set a new Asian record.

Ning, who was born in Mudanjiang, a prefecture-level city in Heilongjiang's southeast, developed his love for speed skating when he was 10 years old, after a teacher at his primary school poured an ice rink for the children.

Ning, 25, mentioned that Gao is his role model.

"This title is a small dream come true for me, but I have a bigger one," said Ning, who finished fifth at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

"I feel I am more mature now, and I hope to make a greater breakthrough at Milano-Cortina 2026."

"The continental sports gala is an important testing ground ahead of the Winter Olympics. I hope the entire team can find their form during the Winter Asiad and deliver even better results in Milan," Gao added.

Contact the writer at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn

Waving the Saudi Arabian flag at the opening ceremony of the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, was not a new experience for Fayik Abdi. As the first Winter Olympian from Saudi Arabia, he had done it once before at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics three years ago.

"This time, it wasn't as cold, since the ceremony was held indoors," Abdi recalls.

The 27-year-old alpine skiing trailblazer competed in the men's slalom on Sunday, but did not finish. Still, he considers his first Winter Asiad and second visit to China to be a memorable experience. With Saudi Arabia set to host the next edition of the Asian Winter Games in 2029, Abdi is eager to return to the competition — and to do so on home snow.

Taking the bullet train from Yabuli to Harbin for the Games' opening ceremony, Abdi said this visit gave him a deeper understanding of China. When he first came for the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, he didn't get the chance to wander around or interact more with Chinese people due to the strict pandemic prevention restrictions.

This time, after arriving in Beijing, he had the chance to experience more of the local culture-including trying hotpot with friends in both cities.

"It was really nice. I'd never had that before," he said.

Abdi has trained at Yabuli Sports Training Base three times, and praised the venue. "The terrain is great — it offers a bit of everything. The snow is very aggressive, different from Europe, so it takes some time to adjust," he noted.

His stay in China was brief, as he departed for Austria after his competition finished to compete in the Alpine Skiing World Championships.

Looking ahead, Abdi hopes to see more international winter sports competitions in China, calling it a large and rapidly growing market for the sport. He looks forward to returning in the future.

Abdi's mother, an avid skier herself, was also his first coach. When he was 4, she began taking him to Lebanon's Faraya ski resort, where she introduced him to the sport. Those early trips sparked a lifelong passion for skiing.

"It's very technical and competitive and it's a lot of fun at the same time. It's a good mixture of a lot of different things."

Abdi said he is thrilled that Saudi Arabia will host the next Asian Winter Games and is committed to staying fit so he can participate on home snow.

"I look forward to representing my country at the 2029 Asian Winter Games, and hopefully, we'll see more Saudi athletes participating," he said. "We're working on that, and I believe we're on the right track to make it happen."

He sees the event as a historic milestone not just for Saudi Arabia, but for the entire West Asian region, potentially inspiring other countries to participate in the Games.

"It's a groundbreaking event," he said. "I expect a high level of competition and hope to see more alpine skiing events, including slalom, giant slalom, and possibly super-G."

Abdi believes Saudi Arabia needs indoor skiing facilities in its cities to make the sport more accessible and encourage greater participation.

"With an indoor facility, skiing or snowboarding could become a regular after-school activity for kids," he said.

Having spent much of his time training and competing in Europe, Abdi hopes that, as winter sports grow in Saudi Arabia, he will one day be able to train at home.

For Abdi, being Saudi Arabia's first Winter Olympian comes with a sense of responsibility.

"Now, I'm focused on improving as a skier and staying competitive, but I'm also thinking about how to inspire the next generation and attract more athletes to the sport," he said.

He hopes to see others follow in his footsteps before he retires. "It would be disappointing if no one takes on the role after me. I want to see athletes stepping up and forming a team while I'm still competing."

The "Fayik Effect" is already paying dividends, as the Harbin Games also played host to Saudi's first female alpine skiers, Joud Farhoud and Sharifa Al-Sudairi. Both women were inspired to reach out to the Saudi Snow Sports Federation after seeing Adbi compete in the giant slalom in Beijing.

"Of course it was very exciting for me, because it was the first time I heard of a Saudi alpine skier," Farhoud said.

While the pair failed to medal in Harbin, with Farhoud finishing 19th and Al-Sudairi posting a DNF in the women's slalom on Saturday, they are both hoping to become the first women to represent Saudi at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.

"It would be a monumental achievement," Al-Sudairi said, adding: "It would not only be a personal dream come true, but also a significant milestone for women in sports in my country."

After his career, Abdi aims to pass on his experience and guide young skiers through training and competition. "I'm passionate about the sport, and it would be an honor to support the next generation in any way I can," he said.

Beyond Saudi Arabia, he hopes to help grow alpine skiing globally. "It's a small sport with a close-knit community. I feel a responsibility not just to my country, but to the world to help it grow."

Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn

Not the hot and humid weather, not the lack of facilities, and definitely not the gap between them and the world's best — nothing stops Singapore's young skaters from pursuing a career that holds only the smallest chance of success.

Though standing far behind the sport's powerhouses, at least for now, a fact underlined by their lack of medals at the Winter Asiad in Harbin, Singapore's short-track speed skating team remains upbeat and serious about its mission — trying to put the tropical nation on the sport's map — even against the greatest odds.

None of its four skaters made it into the final A race in any of the events in Harbin after they overcame enormous challenges, including the closure of their training base and Singapore's only Olympic-sized ice rink, to make their debut at the continental winter sports gala.

Their effort, though, was undeniable, as well as their progress on the ice.

"I think I held out pretty well. I could have done better, but I think I'm quite satisfied with my results," Alyssa Pok, Singapore's best-performing female in Harbin, told Winter Asiad after making it into the 1,000m final B on Sunday.

"I think it's pretty amazing. It's my first time at the Asian Games. To be competing with the high-level skaters, I think it's a good experience.

"And I think, also, it kind of inspired, and showed me how much further I have to go to be able to compete with them and be at their level," said the 20-year-old who raced in all three individual events and the 2,000m mixed relay in Harbin.

Her younger brother Brandon Pok was also the team's busiest men's skater, suiting up for Singapore in all individual events and the mixed relay.

He advanced into Saturday's 1,500m final B, where he edged out more experienced opponents from Hong Kong, China and Kazakhstan to finish fourth in the seven-skater field.

"I think I exceeded our expectations in this competition," said Brandon, who also helped Team Singapore, alongside his sister, reach the final B race of the mixed relay on Friday.

"It's not my first time racing against such powerhouse athletes, but it's always a very refreshing experience. To race against the best is the best way to learn from them," said the 18-year-old, who was brought to an ice rink for the first time at age 7 with his sister Alyssa.

The adrenaline-fueled nature of short-track, demonstrated alongside figure skating and ice hockey during that first visit to the rink at the JCube shopping mall, quickly grew on Alyssa, who asked her parents to sign her up to a junior program right away, and persuaded her brother to join her.

Their commitment to the sport, despite having to share the commercial rink with ordinary customers, and only able to practice after school, soon placed them in the international spotlight.

Alyssa qualified for the 2020 Youth Winter Olympics in Switzerland, representing Singapore on the country's YOG debut, before Brandon made it to the junior world championships in 2022 in Poland.

Their progress, however, hit an abrupt pause in August 2023, when their only home rink at the mall was closed to make way for a new apartment building.

No ice, no problem — a helping hand from China has kept them skating in the right direction.

As part of a cooperation deal between the Chinese and Singaporean skating associations, coach Zhao Yanzhi, a former Chinese short-track athlete, was sent to coach Singapore's young talent, including the Pok siblings, in 2019.

With limited facilities and her skaters balancing their studies with training, coach Zhao admitted it wasn't an easy task to train them up to the necessary high standards, but their progress speaks for itself.

"When I first arrived, they already had a solid foundation. My role was to refine their basics and build up their strength," Zhao told CGTN before the Harbin Games.

"Over the past six years, they've worked hard and improved tremendously. I wanted to support them as the country's winter sports have been steadily growing.

"I happened to join them at a key stage. The athletes' performances have really surprised me in a good way."

The biggest difference that coach Zhao has made wasn't on the ice, though, according to the siblings.

"They closed down the rink last year (in 2023), so we don't have ice at all," said Alyssa.

"She's been really great, and helped us with the off-ice training, making sure that we get the techniques right.

"So, when we get on ice, we are able to transition and compete with the other skaters."

Brandon added that coach Zhao's strength and conditioning training was particularly helpful as well.

"I think she helped us to be a lot more reflective during our training, so that we have to try to visualize (the right moves) during the off-season, try to remember what we need to do, and apply it to the ice during the race season," he said.

After racing in her coach's home country, and in the cradle of winter sports in China, Alyssa said she was shocked by the enthusiasm of Chinese toward skating.

"Clearly they are very dominant in the sport, and what I'm actually very impressed with is the Chinese fans. It's really crazy," she said.

"They really screamed their hearts out for the skaters. Even though I'm not Chinese, when I heard the crowd shouting the Chinese skaters' names, it's really amazing.

"I feel a little bit emotional as well. It reminds me how proud I should be to represent my country."

Contact the writer at sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

Taking a closer look at the profiles of the men's ice hockey team representing Thailand at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games, one can easily discern their diverse backgrounds from their names and faces.

Sweden, Switzerland and the United States are among the countries where some of Thailand's pucksters were first introduced to the sport.

Ken Kindborn, 29, the team captain, is of Swedish and Thai descent.

"We love our motherland. We may grow up or study elsewhere, but in the end, we come back. Despite our diverse backgrounds, we are all Thai," said Kindborn.

At 6, he moved with his family to Sweden, which is where he first picked up a hockey stick.

"My dad took me to the ice rink there, and I never looked back. I have loved ice hockey since that very first experience," recalled Kindborn.

He was drawn to the fast-paced and fierce nature of ice hockey games.

In his view, playing ice hockey also pushes him to become a better person.

"I have to be disciplined on and off the ice. To perform better on the ice, I need to develop better dietary and lifestyle habits," he explained.

"It's a team sport; I feel that the team is like a big family. I grew up with people around me all the time," he said.

Thailand currently has no professional ice hockey league. However, Kindborn and his teammates still embrace the sport with great passion, despite not receiving any financial reward.

Kindborn coaches junior ice hockey enthusiasts in Bangkok and practices with fellow national team players three times a week.

The players have to manage their commitments to both national team events and their respective jobs.

Kindborn's teammates, Patrick Forstner and Thanachai Sakchaicharoenkul, better known as Kin, both work in the entertainment industry, finding balance is even more challenging.

Forstner began playing ice hockey at a young age in Austria because he found it to be "one of the coolest sports".

He previously played for Austria's youth national team, but eight years ago, he moved to Thailand and made the switch to represent the country, currently ranked No 43 in the world, at senior level.

Now 31 years old, he is also an actor and model.

"For me, even after working 12 or 13 hours a day, I still make time to practice with the team at the ice rink," Forstner stated.

"If sacrificing some sleep means I can compete in the Asian Winter Games, I am willing to make that sacrifice because my passion lies in the sport."

In contrast to the others, Kin, a 20-year-old Chinese-Thai, cut his teeth on the ice rinks of tropical Thailand.

Kin explained how he was inspired by the senior players like Forstner: "I grew up watching these guys play, and seeing them represent the national team, I just wanted to be a part of it."

Kin was a three-time ice hockey champion in the Southeast Asia Youth Cup from 2017 to 2019.

He is also an emerging singer and actor in Thailand.

Last year, the fantasy romance drama The Hidden Moon in which he starred, even garnered him a group of Chinese fans.

The two Thai celebrities have also helped promote the winter sport in their homeland, as many of their fans would flock to their games and post video clips of ice hockey on their social media.

The pair also found that being ice hockey players could help them with their TV careers. "All my confidence comes from my sports experience. Being able to speak in front of people comes from the locker room. It all started since I was a kid playing in youth ice hockey games," said Forstner.

Often starring in action movies, the sport also helps him maintain a good physical condition.

"I learned from playing ice hockey how to handle pressure. When I am on TV, there is also a lot of pressure. The experience as an athlete helps me handle it much better," Kin added.

On Friday, they walked around in the cold temperatures of Harbin for over two hours. Kin shared photos on his Instagram account, which has more than 130,000 followers.

"Harbin has been doing a great job hosting this event. It's interesting to see the city covered in snow," he said.

"I think this event is creating a lot of friendships. It looks like we are yelling at each other on the ice, fighting against each other. Even though we got our butt kicked, it's fun to play against high-level teams here," said Forstner.

Contact the writer at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn

Chanatip Sonkham, a retired female taekwondo practitioner who won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics in the under 49 kg weight class, recently made a surprising comeback to the international stage — on the ice sheets at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin.

In quite the switch from the martial arts mat, Sonkham competed in the curling mixed doubles competition, a sport that contrasts starkly with taekwondo in its nature, rules, but perhaps most notably, in temperature.

The 33-year-old secured bronze medals at the 2010 Asian Games and the Asian Taekwondo Championships in 2010 and 2012. She also once clinched victory in the women's 49 kg final at the 2013 World Championships.

In the frigid climate of Harbin, however, the former summer games participant only managed an 8th place finish in the mixed doubles curling, alongside her partner Teekawin Jearateerawit.

To prepare for the continental sports gala, they had been to the Republic of Korea to participate in a week-long training camp.

The duo teamed up for the competition after practicing together for just four months, a period which also marks Sonkham's entire curling career.

Last year, officials from the National Olympic Committee of Thailand extended an invitation to Sonkham to participate in curling.

Initially intended for leisure, the games she participated in quickly revealed Sonkham's innate talent for the winter sport.

"Perhaps, due to my background as a taekwondo athlete, my body balance is quite good, which aids in delivery of the stones," she recalled.

Encouraged by her natural aptitude, Sonkham was urged to pursue a competitive career in the ice sport.

Four months ago, she began training with the Curling Association of Thailand.

"I then developed a strong interest in the sport," she stated.

She found it particularly attractive because of its emphasis on friendship and inclusivity among different age groups.

"In curling competitions, I collaborate closely with teammates. We can talk to each other and support each other during matches. In contrast, when I competed in taekwondo, I had to rely on just myself," she said.

"And no matter if we are young or old, you can just come and enjoy the game."

She added that taekwondo is a fighting sport, so there is a lot of impact, and injuries are common. She personally suffers from knee issues.

"In curling, there is no body contact. What we need to learn is how to control the stone. I don't need to worry about getting injured in this sport," said Sonkham.

However, there are still some similarities between the two sports.

"Focus on the match and just enjoy the process" is a mindset Sonkham has learned from competing in taekwondo, and she finds it applies to curling as well.

It's Thailand's first time sending a national curling team to the continental winter sports gala.

This is also the first time that Sonkham and her partner have competed against curlers from other countries and regions.

"It's a good experience for me. This is surely beneficial for the improvement of my curling skills," she said.

For Sonkham, one of the challenges for professional athletes is planning for life after their sports career ends.

"When I finished my taekwondo career, everyone thought my life as an athlete had come to a complete end. However, now I have come back with a new role, and a new passion for a new sport," she said.

"Maybe by curling, I can inspire my compatriots to realize that, even though we are from a country without winter, we can still excel in winter sports."

Thailand, as a tropical country, has sent its largest-ever delegation of 133 people, 87 of whom are athletes, to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin.

Its participation in the Asian Winter Games highlights its growing presence in winter sports, and reflects the country's commitment to expanding its athletic achievements on the international stage.

Supitr Samahito, vice-president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, told Xinhua in an interview that sports play a vital role in fostering cultural connections among countries and regions.

She praised China's expertise in hosting major sporting events, noting that it has raised expectations for the Harbin Games.

"The Asian Winter Games are not just a sporting event, but also a unique opportunity for Asian countries and regions to showcase their cultures and deepen mutual understanding," she said. "Although Thailand is a tropical country, its active participation in the Winter Games is a testament to cross-cultural exchange," she added.

"Thai athletes competing in Harbin will not only be able to refine their winter sports skills, but also immerse themselves in the diverse cultures of their fellow competitors."

xinwen@chinadaily.com.cn

Traditional Chinese cultural elements and aesthetics have been subtly woven into the ceremonial dresses and officials' attire being worn at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, reflecting the city's unique features while extending best wishes to participants through Shanghai-style designs.

Shanghai's Donghua University led the design efforts, with three faculty members and eight students from the university's College of Fashion and Design working on the project since July. Together with production partners, they submitted more than 20 designs for approval and produced over 1,900 sets of attire for technical and Olympic Council of Asia officials, as well as 116 ceremonial dresses and thousands of accessories, including silk scarves and neckties.

"We came up with about 40 designs in total, and 20 were ultimately approved," said Ni Jun, a professor at Donghua University and one of the leaders of the design team. "The Asian Winter Games is not just a sports gala, but is also a cultural gathering. We wanted to showcase traditional Chinese culture in our designs, which integrate Shanghai-style elements and craftsmanship."

Among the designs, the blue ceremonial attire stands out. Inspired by the wintry conditions of Harbin, known as China's "ice city", the dress combines traditional Chinese cultural aesthetics with modern tailoring techniques.

The design team said the blue color symbolizes purity, nobility, trust and reliability, representing the sky, sea and glaciers, as well as enduring friendship and faith, aligning with the spirit of sports.

Ni noted that the wavy hair ornaments draw inspiration from Chinese scrolls, while the hairpins are based on ancient Chinese designs, and present a dynamic effect when in motion. The skirts flow smoothly with each step, while the upper parts of the dresses are an updated version of the qipao, featuring a Shanghai-style waistband with cloud patterns and handmade, snowflake-shaped Chinese knot buttons.

Beyond the design, production posed challenges. The attire worn by officials is made from high-quality wool fabric, which provides warmth, comfort and breathability. However, the fabric is extremely light and soft, making design, shaping and production difficult. The clothing also needed to be inclusive enough to accommodate the varying body sizes of roughly 1,900 wearers.

"We received strong support from factories across the country that collaborated with our university. They are equipped with advanced technologies and, as we requested, follow a sustainable and environmentally friendly production process. Producing a single set of the officials' attire involves an average of 396 steps. Without their expertise and flexibility for urgent adjustments, we couldn't have completed the task," Ni said.

Leading a team of 20, Ni is now overseeing the use of the clothing on-site in Harbin.

"So far, things are going well, with few requests for adjustments. But we're not overthinking it. I feel deeply moved to see our team so united and focused on getting the job done. It is a great honor for us and Donghua University to be part of this sports gala," she said with a smile.