The 9th Asian Winter Games kicked off with a bang in Harbin, China, as Chinese athletes secured an impressive eight gold medals on the first day! 🥇🇨🇳
Li Fanghui took the lead in the women's freeski halfpipe, scoring 95.25 points and setting the pace for the host nation. Her teammate Zhang Kexin followed closely, claiming the silver with 89.25 points.
In snowboard slopestyle, Zhang Xiaonan dominated the competition with a stellar 95.25 points, leaving her compatriot Xiong Shirui 20 points behind for the gold. Japan's Ishii Himari took home the bronze.
Speed skating was another highlight, with Gao Tingyu smashing the men's 100-meter record at 9.35 seconds. Ning Zhongyang also broke the 1,500-meter Games record, finishing at 1:45.85.
Women's speed skating saw Han Mei, Yang Binyu, and Yin Qi sweep the podium, while Lin Xiaojun won China's sole short track speed skating title in the men's 500 meters.
Cross-country skiing wasn't left behind, as Li Lei and Wang Qiang clinched the women's and men's sprint classic finals, respectively.
With such a strong start, Chinese athletes are setting the stage for a memorable Games! 🌟❄️
Reference(s):
Chinese athletes off to a good start at 9th Asian Winter Games
cgtn.com
