Fan Kexin, one of China's star short track speed skaters, made a thrilling return to the ice at the ISU Short Track World Tour in Beijing! 🌟 After missing the first two stops in Montreal and Salt Lake City, she graced the Capital Indoor Stadium—where she had clinched Team China's first gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics—with her electrifying presence. 🥇
Leading her team on home ice, Fan was nothing short of spectacular. On Friday, she breezed through the women's 500-meter, 2,000-meter mixed relay, and women's 3,000-meter relay heats. Talk about a comeback! 🏃♀️💨
\"I feel like I'm in pretty good shape right now,\" Fan shared with CGTN Sports Scene's Shen Xiang. \"Every time I compete, I'm increasingly aware that my opportunities to step onto the ice are becoming fewer, making me treasure every moment even more. As long as I get to compete, I'll give it my all.\" 💪❤️
During her time away from the competition, Fan didn't just sit back. She kept a close eye on her teammates and invested time in perfecting her gear. \"It was a pity I missed the first two stops of the World Tour,\" she admitted. \"I made some adjustments to my equipment and switched to a new pair of skates. My old pair had been with me for two Olympic cycles, so I spent time finding and adapting to what feels most comfortable for me.\" 🎿🔧
Her return has undeniably boosted the team's morale and strength. Teammate Gong Li noted, \"Fan Kexin is back; that, of course, makes our relay team stronger. She brings a wealth of experience, which leads us to achieve even better results.\" 🥰
Even rivals are excited about her comeback! Italian Olympic champion Arianna Fontana expressed her joy, saying, \"I'm really happy she's back, and we always have fun skating against her. She's a really good skater, a real good fighter on the ice. So it's always fun to be on the ice with her. And it's always a fight for sure when she's on the ice skating against me.\" 🤝🏅
With Fan Kexin's return, the excitement on the ice is heating up! Can't wait to see what she brings to the rest of the season. Let's cheer her on together! 🎉🙌
Reference(s):
China's Fan makes season debut at Short Track World Tour Beijing stop
cgtn.com
