Short Track Speed Skating National Training Camp “Ice Altar” Unveiled in Early September to Form a National Training Team
On September 11th, the short track speed skating national training camp held an open training at the “Ice Altar” comprehensive training hall of the Winter Sports Management Center of the State General Administration of Sport.
Liu Chenyu, the leader of the short track speed skating national team, introduced that this training camp was established on May 4th, marking the official entry of short track speed skating into the training and preparation for the new season. The training camp will implement a dynamic adjustment mechanism, survival of the fittest, and will last until the end of August. During this period, physical fitness tests and special ice tests will be organized. At the same time, the national training team for the 2023-2024 season will be formed in early September based on the performance of the athletes during the training camp.
The training camp currently has 27 athletes, including 15 males and 12 females. Among them are Ren Ziwei, Fan Kexin, and other Beijing Winter Olympics gold medalists, as well as Li Wenlong, Song Jiahua, and other last season’s World Championship gold medalists. Additionally, emerging national champions and elite athletes have also joined the camp. Since the ISU has added the Youth World Cup to the new season, the training camp also includes 8 athletes born after 2004.
Ren Ziwei, who won the Winter Olympics championship, is currently in the recovery period. The team has just finished training in Yunnan, and Ren Ziwei recalls the challenge of mountain climbing: “Twice a week, every climb is a challenge. Now it is the recovery stage, and many things are relatively difficult for me, but I can clearly feel that my physical condition is getting better and better every week.”
Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang, both Winter Olympic champions, were also deeply touched by the physically demanding experience of mountain climbing on the plateau, describing it as “using 100% of their strength”. The two brothers did not have systematic training for a long time last year. After joining the Chinese team, they are now in good training condition under the top guarantee of the national team. “We have practiced a lot abroad, including Canada, the United States, and Italy, but the conditions are not as good as those in China,” Liu Shaoang said.
Liu Shaolin praised the team’s current cooperation, stating, “One by one, we help each other.” When asked if they have the confidence to win another Olympic gold medal in Milan, Liu Shaolin smiled and said, “If there is no such hope, we would not be here.”
Another Winter Olympic champion, Lin Xiaojun, is recovering from surgery. He expressed his progress using slower Chinese and mentioned practicing with his teammates every day. More complex expressions still need to be translated by teammate Liu Guanyi. Lin Xiaojun said that there are many experienced athletes in the team, and he hopes that everyone will work together next season to further improve their performance.
The short track speed skating events in the new season have an intensive schedule. Liu Chenyu introduced that the Chinese team participated in a total of 12 competitions last season and plans to participate in a total of 17 domestic and international competitions in the new season. These include 6 adult World Cups, 3 Youth World Cups, Four Continents Championships, World Youth Championships, Winter Youth Olympic Games, and World Championships. The third leg of the Adult World Cup will be held in Beijing in December.
“Step by step, our ultimate goal is the 2026 Winter Olympics, so the first few years will be regarded as a process. I believe that through the improvement of training and international competitions in the past few years, we will eventually achieve better results in the Winter Olympics,” said Liu Chenyu.
(Reporter Ding Wenxian)