Freestylers aiming for new heights
(China Daily)Updated: 2007-01-26 08:37
China's Winter Olympic freestyle skiing medalists Han Xiaopeng and Li Nina are planning to send home fans head over heals in delight at the upcoming Asian Winter Games.
Han, the gold medalist in men's freestyle skiing aerial at last year's Turin Winter Games, and Li, the women's silver medalist, are expected to lead their teams to glory in Changchun.
"Team China has tremendous strength in freestyle skiing,"
said Zhao Xiaolu, vice president of China Ski Association. "Han and Li have made
us even stronger."
Li had planned to skip the Asian Games as she wanted to attend the 2007 freestyle skiing World Championships in Italy. But with the championships delayed due to a lack of snow, Li was able to compete.
With two gold medals in this season's World Cup series, Li is in good form, but she says she now has to take her skiing to a new level.
"I'm quite clear about the current situation. New movements and degree of difficulty must be tried if I want to achieve more in the future," Li said.
For the men's team, Han said the main problem is not technique, but psychology.
"Competition in skiing aerials is very tough, since there are about 20 skiers at his level in the world's leading group. So it is not only about technique, but also tactics, psychology and experience," Han said. "Chinese men skiers can only accumulate experience and promote competence through constant training."
The men's and women's teams are now training at Beidahu Skiing Resort, the venue for the snow events at the coming Games.
Besides Han and Li, men's veteran Qiu Sen and women's young hopeful Guo Xinxin provide genuine medal prospects.
The country's cross-country team is also hoping to give the home crowd something to cheer about.
"We have confidence in the competition at the games, and we promise to give the Chinese people a pleasant surprise," said Per-Erik Ronnestrand, head coach of the Chinese cross-country skiing team.
The Swede and his team have been training in Changchun and Jilin for about half a month and all competitors are in peak condition.
"Our skiers are becoming increasingly mature in skills, especially people like Li Geliang and Xia Fang. And they are catching up with the world champions," said Ronnestrand.
Wang Chunli, who captured all women's titles in the Far East Cup of the International Ski Federation and Vasaloppet China 50km ski race earlier this month in Changchun, leads the women while Li Geliang is the ace in the men's side.
Li trailed Olympic champion Stanislav Rezac of Czech Republic by just 10 seconds in 2 hours 19 minutes and 10 seconds at the Vasaloppet China to win a silver medal.
The biggest threat for the Chinese men comes from Kazakhstan, while the women's team must dig deep if they want to beat Uzbekistan, said the coach.
"The competitiveness of the Chinese cross-country skiing team is speeding up, and the earlier two international events provided a good chance for practice," said Wang Yitao, president of the China Skiing Association.
Chinese biathlon skiers are strong medal contenders at the games as well.
With strong overall strength, the Chinese women's team will aim for gold medals.
The team will be led by Liu Xianying, who finished ninth in the women's 10km pursuit at last year's Turin Winter Olympic Games, and Kong Yingchao, double silver medallist at the fifth Asian Winter Games in Aomori, Japan.
On the men's side, Zhang Chengye, who made great breakthrough for the Chinese men's biathlon team in 2005 by finishing 13th at last season's World Cup series, will try to defend his leading position in Asia.
In this season's World Cup series, the Chinese team has gained two bronze medals at the three World Cup stops.
All snow events of the 6th Asian Winter Games will be held at Beidahu Skiing Resort in Jilin city, 141 kilometers from Changchun, the host city of the games.
Covering 126 square kilometers, the resort was completed last August.
Last month, it hosted the freestyle skiing aerials World Cup as a test event for the games, featuring 46 of the world's top skiers from 11 countries and regions.
During the Asian Winter Games, it will host events including biathlon, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboard.
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