China's short track speed skating head coach Zhang Jing expressed confidence in her athletes participating in the new Olympic cycle after they concluded their first competition after Beijing 2022 at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup in Montreal, Canada recently.

Zhang selected a young squad for this season. They will compete in all six legs of the World Cup series and the Four Continents Championships to accumulate experience.

"The whole team is lacking international competition experience," said Zhang. "We are aiming at training young skaters this season, especially their capacity in international competitions."

In Montreal, 19-year-old Zhang Chutong was China's only female skater with Olympic experience and the only one to enter Final A contention.

"Our expectation for the World Cup was some skaters making the semifinals, avoiding mistakes and improving their confrontation ability," said Zhang. "Our young skaters were aggressive, and I am very happy to see that. I also saw their problems."

Among the male skaters, 2018 Olympic 1,500-meter champion Lin Xiaojun made his debut representing Team China. He was injured in the mixed relay semifinal and had to withdraw from the event he dominated three years ago.

"I believe we will become stronger at international competitions," said Zhang. "It will be difficult, but we will try our best."

Zhang represented China at the 1994 Winter Olympics. After retiring from competing, she became Hungary's men's short track speed skating team head coach in 2012 and led them to their first Olympic short track gold in the men's 5,000-meter relay at PyeongChang 2018 and one gold and two bronze medals at Beijing 2022.

(With input from Xinhua)