The ninth Asian Winter Games are gearing up to take place in the picturesque city of Harbin, located in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, from February 7 to 14. While not as large in scale as the Winter Olympic Games, the Asian Winter Games hold their own unique charm and significance.
Sarah Lewis, the former FIS Secretary General and the first woman to hold the position, shared her insights on the importance of these games in the latest episode of Talk Sports on CGTN Sports Scene's Greg Laffradi.
Lewis emphasized, \"The Asian Winter Games are a special opportunity and a fantastic showcase of winter sport talents from all across Asia. They feature a diverse mix of established winter sports nations like China, Japan, and Korea, alongside some emerging sport countries from Central and South Asia. The Asian Winter Games provide a crucial platform for Asian athletes to develop and gain experience at a multi-sport event.\"
China has been a powerhouse in winter sports development, especially after hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and Zhangjiakou. The country set an ambitious goal of engaging 300 million people in winter sports, and according to a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics of China released in January 2022, over 346 million Chinese have participated in winter sports since 2015.
Reflecting on China's achievements, Lewis stated, \"That has certainly been one of the remarkable positives from hosting the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, without any question. The commitment of everybody involved in China made this really the success factor. China's efforts across winter sports development have been absolutely remarkable. The goal of getting 300 million people involved was ambitious, but it was met clearly and surpassed.\"
As Harbin prepares to host the Asian Winter Games, the excitement is building for another milestone in Asia's winter sports journey. 🌟🥇
Reference(s):
Talk Sports: Former FIS chief on significance of Asian Winter Games
cgtn.com
