China's para ice hockey team members said that they will set new goals for the next Winter Paralympics and World Championship, after the team made history winning the bronze medal in their Paralympic debut at Beijing 2022.
Young and confident, they look forward to continuing to build their program which was started some five years ago.
Lyu Zhi (R) of Team China comeptes in the para ice hockey game against the Czech Republic at the 2022 Winter Paralympics at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, March 9, 2022. /CFP
"We finally got this valuable medal with efforts from all members of our team. I feel really exhausted after five matches and need some rest now, but for sure, I want to come back and train with my pals and get ready for the next Games," said rising star Shen Yifeng, China's best player in Beijing scoring eight goals and assisting for six more.
He showed why his nickname is "Little Whirlwind" during the Games, but he emphasized the importance of the team spirit in thanking his teammates, especially during the hard training sessions.
Li Hongguan (L) of Team China competes in the para ice hockey game against South Korea at the 2022 Winter Paralympics at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, March 12, 2022. /CFP
This was shared by striker Wang Zhidong, who scored five and assisted for seven goals in total in Beijing, and one of the two flag bearers of the Chinese delegation at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Paralympics.
"We really put a lot of effort into achieving this, and we are very confident that we will have a greater stage for us to play on in the future," said Wang in a face-to-face interview with CGTN after he and his team won the bronze.
"We have been gaining experience gradually through competitions with these top teams. Participating in such big sports events is very important for us," he said.
Players of Team China gather ahead of the para ice hockey game against South Korea at the 2022 Winter Paralympics at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, March 12, 2022. /CFP
"I want to contribute more to para ice hockey, in whatever role I can," said Yu Jing, the second woman in para ice hockey history to win a Paralympic medal.
"Paralympic ice hockey is a mixed event for men and women. As a new member, I must start from the basics. At the beginning, I felt there were too many things a female might find difficult to do. But step by step and with effort, I did it and achieved these results," she said.
Chinese para ice hockey team stood on the medal podium on Sunday with gold and silver medalists – the U.S. and Canada. Though they are still young, the Chinese players are confident in facing the top teams and participating in the future games.