The 9th Asian Winter Games set to take place in China's Harbin will feature six sports that cover 11 disciplines and 64 events, announced the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

The capital city of the northeast Heilongjiang Province hosted the 1996 edition, and is joined by host of the 2007 edition Changchun, capital city of Jilin Province which is also situated in the northeast, as the only two cities in China that have staged the event since its launch in 1986. 

The six sports include biathlon, curling, ice hockey, skating, skiing, as well as ski mountaineering which has been enlisted as an official Olympic sport due to make its debut in the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

All six sports will feature both men's and women's events, and mixed events will be registered in specific disciplines.

According to OCA's acting director general Vinod Kumar Tiwari, the OCA will shortly put together a coordination committee to conduct inspection on Harbin's sports venues, facilities, and preparations of the Games.

Harbin was announced at the 42nd OCA Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand in July this year as the host city for the next edition of the Games.

(Cover: A ceremony held in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, to celebrate being selected as the host city of the 9th Asian Winter Games on July 8, 2023. /CFP)