Adake on track to be double threat at Olympics

China's national speed skating championships, which wrapped up in Changchung, Jilin province, on the weekend, could prove to be a springboard to Olympic stardom for Er Ahena Adake.

In her national debut, the 19-year old from Xinjiang won gold in the women's 5,000m and silver in both the 3,000m and team pursuit.

On March 21, she finished second in the 3,000m behind Han Mei, a veteran who won three gold and two silver medals.

Two days later, Adake claimed the 5,000m title, 1.159 seconds ahead of Han, and took her second silver in the team pursuit the following day.

"I didn't expect to have such results here," Adake said.

Adake, who started her career in short-track and switched to long-distance speed skating only six months ago, also won a silver medal at the ISU Junior World Cup in Helsinki in January.

"I just wanted to have a try at long distance," she said. "The result was not bad, so now I compete in both."

Her success at the nationals has been a major confidence boost, Adake added.

"I am getting better and better, making breakthroughs constantly. I feel I might be more capable in speed skating. I'm now making some plans for the future."

Behind Adake's development is 59-year-old Xin Qingshan, the godfather of Chinese speed skating who coached Yang Yang, China's first Winter Olympics champion, and several other world gold medalists, including Li Jiajun, Li Yan and Wang Chunlu.

In January 2018, Xin journeyed to Xinjiang to train locals in both short-track and distance speed skating under the guidance of the Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China.

Xin was not initially overly impressed with Adake.

"She's improved a lot, but still has a lot of work to do as her time was 7:19.32. Our skaters have a long way to catch up with the world's best in long-distance events," Xin said.

Esmee Visser of the Netherlands won the 5,000m gold in 6:50.23 at 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Training with Xin for a year, Adake said her coach is very strict on the ice but also very considerate and respectful.

"It's my great honor to train with coach Xin. I was not used to his style at first, but now I am getting better," she said.

"It's a long journey. Like most Chinese skaters, I'm good in curves but bad on strength. For me, to get on the ice of the Olympics is the priority. I believe I can do it."

At last year's Pyeongchang Games, Gao Tingyu became the first male speed skater from China to win an Olympic medal when he took bronze in the 500m sprint.

Wu Dajing followed up by winning China's only gold at the Games when he triumphed in the 500m short-track event.

Xinhua