Technology will help promote winter sports

Beijing is hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and has promised the world a "safe, simple and splendid" Olympic Games despite the challenges facing the world and the country. China holds fast to its confidence that it can achieve its goals, including international and national rejuvenation, in the face of all the odds.

China believes in achieving the goals of the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger－Together", which the athletes competing in the ongoing Winter Games must also be reflecting on.

The International Olympic Committee added "Together" to the original Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger" on July 20, 2021, in recognition of the unifying power of sports and the importance of solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and other global challenges. The fact that the IOC made the decision during the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo speaks volumes of the importance of sports in promoting cooperation and understanding among people and countries around the world during this difficult time.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, the Republic of Korea, China competed in 53 events of 12 disciplines, and took home one gold, six silver and two bronze medals, ranking 16th in gold medal tally.

With the aim of achieving a better performance this time, Chinese athletes have put in extra energy and time to prepare for the Beijing Winter Games. Among all the factors, a scientific approach has played an important role－and will continue to do so－in helping the Chinese athletes prepare for the Games. It is also playing a big role in helping the Chinese government develop winter sports in the country.

In 2018, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) launched a four-year plan to prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympics, implementing an athlete-centered, coach-led approach with the support of sports scientists to help enhance the athletes' performance. Among the benefits of this initiative has been the emergence of a group of elite athletes who have received training from local and foreign coaches, and scientific guidance on their sleep, diets, recovery, training and equipment, and the backing of dedicated support teams.

The COC first initiated a talent transfer program, selecting those athletes from other sports who had the potential to excel in winter sports. The goal was to ensure the participation of the Chinese athletes in every event of every discipline and sports at the 2022 Winter Games.

Also, 79 coaches have been recruited from top winter sports countries to train Chinese athletes and prepare them for the 2022 Winter Games.

Besides, athletes from different disciplines were sent to some European countries to receive advanced training. After one year's training, those athletes who excelled or showed promise in their respective fields were selected for further training at national training bases in Beijing and Hebei province. Apart from building the national team for the Winter Games, this also laid a solid foundation for the further development of winter sports in the country. And such has been the dedication and motivation of the authorities and athletes that even the COVID-19 pandemic has had little effect on the training program.

The approach has helped the athletes to improve their speed, endurance and skills. By performing well at the Winter Games, the Chinese athletes will not only achieve their sporting dream, but also inspire young Chinese to participate more in winter sports.

China's performance has been traditionally better at the Summer Olympics than the Winter Olympics because winter sports are not as popular with the public, and fewer youngsters participate in them at an early age. Therefore, the COC introduced the "talent transfer" program to shorten the period of talent development, and provide chances to athletes in a broader range of regions, rather than just the northeast of China, which is the traditional heartland for winter sports in the country.

To support the initiative to boost the capabilities of Chinese athletes, the authorities have established many multifunctional training centers in Beijing and Hebei for both summer and winter sports. These facilities provide accommodation, training, medical and scientific support, which are required for high-performance training.

A large number of professionals, both in summer and winter sports, have gathered tons of experience during the preparation for the Winter Games, and some of the universities, research institutions and enterprises that participated in Winter Olympic-related projects have gone on to become the technological backbone of the scientific training programs.

Also many embedded sports scientists, working seamlessly with coaches in many instances, have dedicated themselves to applying cutting-edge technology to support the athletes and help them achieve success at the Winter Olympics.

It is good to see that high-performance athletes, coaches, scientists and other support staff are applying science and technology to training, and athletes from home and abroad are competing together at an elite level, which is in line with the new Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger－Together".

The Beijing Winter Games have laid a solid foundation for the application of the latest sports science and technology, which can help inspire a new generation at home and abroad to participate in winter sports, and bring hope, strength, and courage to the world. In short, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games are bringing the world together for a shared future.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

The author is a professor at Shanghai University of Sport.

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