Gu Ailing leads China's 170-athlete squad for 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin

BEIJING - China on Friday unveiled a 257-member delegation, including 170 athletes, for the upcoming Harbin Asian Winter Games from Feb 7 to 14.

Comprising 85 men and 85 women, the squad is headlined by six Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic champions: Gu Ailing, Xu Mengtao, Qi Guangpu, Gao Tingyu, Fan Kexin and Liu Shaoang.

Their average age is 23, with the group ranging from a 40-year-old veteran to a 16-year-old newcomer. They will compete in 64 events across six sports, as Harbin - capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province - hosts the Games for the second time since 1996.

Gao Zhidan, director of China's General Administration of Sport, underscored the importance of striving not only for performance-based gold medals but also for those reflecting moral integrity, sportsmanship and clean competition. He emphasized a zero-tolerance approach to doping, insisting on meticulous measures to ensure foolproof anti-doping efforts.

"Every day of training focuses on building our willpower and character, so when the important competitions come, we can present a positive and upbeat mindset," said Fan, who is eager to compete in her third Asian Winter Games. "We'll give it our all and aim to hear the national anthem played for every event."

"Competing at home gives me even more motivation and energy, especially during the Spring Festival," added the Heilongjiang native.

As the final international multi-sport event before the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the Harbin Games serve as a valuable training opportunity for the Chinese squad.

Zhang Jing, head coach of the national short track speed skating team, said, "Our goal is to compete for every gold medal. In the lead-up to the Games, our training will become more practical and focus more on details, and we will also implement specific strategies to address our Asian competitors."

According to the Harbin Asian Winter Games Organizing Committee, a record 34 countries and regions will participate in Harbin 2025, represented by 1,275 athletes - 128 more than the previous high of 1,147 at the 2017 Sapporo Games.