The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Team marked the one-year countdown to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics on January 29, 2021 by hosting an online media briefing, discussing plans and expectations for the Games.

According to Tore Oevreboe, director of Olympiatoppen, the organization for Norway's elite sports, the country plans to send around 125 athletes to compete in the Games and the total number of delegation members will be over 300.

They hope to take one of the top three positions in the medal table. In the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, Norway took first place. 

For the Paralympic Games, Norway expects to send 30 athletes to compete in all six sports and hopes to achieve at least the same number of medals as the last time, according to Cato Zahl Pedersen, chef de mission for Norwegian participation in the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games.

"The competitors, time difference, high altitude and tough weather conditions with low temperatures and dry wind" will be four major challenges for the Norwegian Olympic team when they come to Beijing, Oevreboe said.

Beijing is much lower in altitude than Norway, while the altitude of Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, where many events will take place, are higher than Norway's average altitude. According to Reuters, the altitudes of the Olympic villages in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou are 950 meters and 1,600 meters respectively.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Norway's preparation has been affected by travel restrictions, said Oevreboe. The team has not been able to "visit China to get familiar with the facilities and weather conditions better," but is "eager to test the snow to be prepared equipment-wise."

"There will be a very short window of preparation for the athletes before we start with the competitions."

Norway is one of the top winter sports countries in the world. Its competitors have won 368 medals in the Olympics, including 132 gold, and 315 medals in the Paralympics, of which 134 were gold.