By Martin Quin Pollard
BEIJING (Reuters) – Here is a look at China’s top 10 medal hopefuls for the Beijing Games:
EILEEN GU – FREESTYLE SKIING
American-born freestyle skier Gu is one of the faces of the Games and one of China’s most promising medal hopes.
The 18-year-old, who has represented China since she acquired citizenship in 2019, is competing in three disciplines; big air, halfpipe and slopestyle.
Arguably her best shot at gold is the halfpipe for which she is ranked number one in this season’s International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup standings.
XU MENGTAO – FREESTYLE SKIING
Aerials freestyle skier Xu, 31, is an Olympic silver medallist gearing up for her fourth Winter Games.
The former gymnast from Liaoning province won silver at Sochi 2014 and was a medal contender in Pyeongchang four years ago before a crash ended her Games.
Currently top of this season’s FIS World Cup standings, Xu has a good chance of getting on the podium in the individual event. However, perhaps her best hope for gold will be in the mixed team aerials, a new event for Beijing 2022.
There were only two FIS World Cup mixed aerial events held this season before the Games and China won both.
SUN JIAXU – FREESTYLE SKIING
Sun is another of China’s freestyle skiing medal contenders. The 22-year-old from Jilin province lies second in the men’s aerials discipline in this season’s FIS World Cup standings.
Sun will likely join Xu and another team mate in the mixed team aerials event.
SUI WENJING AND HAN CONG – FIGURE SKATING
Silver medallists in Pyeongchang four years ago, Sui, 26, and Han, 29 are hoping to go one better this time. The pair from Heilongjiang province have been skating together since 2007.
Co-coached by former Olympic champion Zhao Hongbo, they are third in this season’s International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup standings. They are twice world champions (2017 and 2019) and three-time world silver medallists (2015, 2016 and 2021).
WU DAJING – SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
Short track speed skater Wu, 27, is one of China’s big stars as the winner of their sole gold medal in Pyeongchang four years ago when he won the men’s 500 metres, breaking the world record.
Wu, who hails from Heilongjiang province, has won a total of four Olympic medals (one gold, two silver and a bronze), making him one of China’s most successful male Winter Olympians ever.
He has also won 12 world championship medals (four gold, five silver and three bronze).
Wu goes into Beijing 2022 ranked second in the 500m in this season’s ISU World Cup standings. Aside from his individual event, Wu could medal in the men’s 5000m relay and the mixed relay, a new event for 2022.
REN ZIWEI – SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
Ren, 24, from Heilongjiang province, is another of China’s short track speed skating team who has medal-winning pedigree. Ren won silver in Pyeongchang in the men’s 5,000m relay with Wu and two others, Han Tianyu and Xu Hongzhi.
This season Ren is first in the ISU World Cup rankings for the 1,500m and third in the 500m. At Beijing 2022 he is set to compete in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m and both relays.
NING ZHONGYAN – SPEED SKATING
The 22-year-old Ning, from Heilongjiang province, is arguably China’s best hope for gold at the National Speed Skating Oval. Ning will be competitive in the 1000m and 1500m, especially the latter for which he is second in this season’s ISU World Cup rankings.
GAO TINGYU – SPEED SKATING
Olympic bronze medal-winning Gao, 24, will take centre stage on Feb. 4 as China’s flagbearer for the Games’ opening ceremony alongside skeleton racer Zhao Dan. Gao’s bronze in the 500m in Pyeongchang made him China’s first man to win an Olympic speed skating medal.
The sprint specialist, from Heilongjiang province, has had mixed results this season. But one first and one second place in this season’s World Cup events suggests he will still compete for a medal.
CAI XUETONG – SNOWBOARDING
This is halfpipe snowboarder Cai’s fourth Olympics. The 28-year-old’s best-placed finish was fifth at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. But this season she is top of the ISU World Cup rankings.
Cai’s rivals for a medal include team mate and silver medallist in Pyeongchang, Liu Jiayu, and reigning Olympic champion Chloe Kim of the United States.
SU YIMING – SNOWBOARDING
China’s big men’s snowboarding medal hope is 17-year-old Su.
Su put his marker down for the Winter Olympics by winning the last Big Air World Cup event before Beijing 2022 in Steamboat, Colorado in December.
The former actor from Jilin province goes in the Big Air and the slopestyle at the Beijing Games.
(Reporting by Martin Quin Pollard; Editing by Ken Ferris)
