Joint practice sessions at the Italy camp with national teams from the host, France and Australia also offered Zhang's athletes some much-needed international exposure, the coach noted.

"Our athletes were able to observe the training routines and habits of top international athletes, while also adapting to local conditions, climate and diet in Italy, which is quite helpful," said Zhang.

As the most decorated winter sports program in China, the short-track speed skating squad has contributed a total of 12 Olympic gold medals to the country's all-time haul of 22 since its Winter Games debut in 1980.

The appointment of Zhang after Beijing 2022, and the introduction of naturalized athletes, such as Lin, and the Hungarian-born brothers Sandor Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang, have heralded a new era for the program entering the 2026 Olympic cycle.

"It will be a very important season for us with the Olympics fast approaching. I've set lofty goals for myself for sure, but I'd rather keep them inside, and only speak with my performances on ice," said Liu Shaoang.

In the 2023-24 season, the new-look Team China bagged seven gold medals from the World Cup circuit, before sweeping four titles to become the most decorated team at the world championships in the Netherlands, showing a glimpse of the full strength it is set to unleash at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn