New faces lace up for China
High-profile additions raise the stakes as national program begins preparations for World Cup season
With strong reinforcements on board, China's new-look short-track speed skating team is lacing up for a challenging new season when it hopes to jump-start its preparations for the 2026 Olympics.
Three months out from the opening leg of the International Skating Union's 2023-24 World Cup series, China's short-track speed skating national program has called up a 27-strong training camp roster. It is hoped the squad's blend of youth and experience can set the tone for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
The return of China's Olympic champion skaters, including Ren Ziwen and Fan Kexin, and the addition of Hungarian-born twin brothers Sandor Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang as well as Lin Xiaojun, formerly a South Korean national skater, attracted intense media attention during an open day at the camp on Tuesday.
Now eligible to represent China internationally as legally naturalized athletes, the Liu brothers and Lin are expected to significantly enhance the medal credentials of the already competitive Team China for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
