LANZHOU, China, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's cross-country skiers aim to make a breakthrough at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games on home soil, according to national team manager Zhang Bei.
The 2020-2021 China cross-country skiing championships concluded last Friday in Baiyin city, northwestern China's Gansu Province, which drew around 180 professional skiers from all over the country.
Zhang, who used the championships to gauge the progress of all the athletes, said that the national team will focus on the athletes who have shown better form and a competitive mindset in the following months ahead of the 2022 Olympics.
"After the championship, our team will continue digging for talents for the 2022 Winter Games," said Zhang.
China's previous best result in cross-country skiing came at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, where Li Hongxue finished 22nd in the women's 30km mass start.
Zhang said the Chinese team is turning to high-tech facilities and advanced approaches in their preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The wind tunnel is one of them.
In addition, they are also tapping foreign expertise with the recruitment of Russian coach Nikolai Dunkukov.
"We hope that Team China can make a breakthrough through scientific training in long-distance events and women's relay in 2022," said Zhang.
The optimism was echoed by 29-year-old Li Xin, who participated in the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2018 and now looks to make her third Olympic appearance on home soil.
"I will try my best to stand on the podium of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games," said Li. Enditem
