On the glory trail

Former Xinjiang cyclist swaps saddle for slopes in pursuit of Olympic dream

Swapping his promising cycling career for cross-country skiing has not been an easy transition for Torsongan Bullik. However, with his dream of representing Team China at next year's Winter Olympics now within touching distance, it's a decision he is glad he made.

The 25-year-old is currently in the final stage of preparations for Beijing 2022 with the provisional national cross-country skiing squad on the trails near his hometown in Wenquan county in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

"I remember when I first started cycling, it was pretty tough. I needed to buy all the equipment myself and fight in all the competitions by myself," Bullik told Xinhua. "Now in the cross-country skiing squad, we enjoy great support, which gives me more motivation to prepare for the Winter Olympics."

Bullik's athletic potential was apparent from a young age. He excelled at running as a middle-school student, when he could cover 10 kilometers in 36 minutes. In 2016, he finished third in the Xinjiang Wusu International Marathon as an amateur. However, without proper coaching at the time, the hard miles on the road soon caught up with him.