China's Fan makes season debut at Short Track World Tour Beijing stop

After missing the first two stops in Montreal and Salt Lake City, China's short track speed skater Fan Kexin made her season debut at the International Skating Union (ISU) Short Track World Tour in Beijing, returning to the Capital Indoor Stadium, where she secured Team China's first gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

As a seasoned skater, Fan found herself set to lead her team in their pursuit of glory at the ISU World Tour on home ice. On Friday, she advanced in the women's 500-meter, 2,000-meter mixed relay and women's 3,000-meter relay, feeling she's already in good form despite that being her season debut.

"I feel like I'm in pretty good shape right now," Fan told CGTN Sports Scene's Shen Xiang. "Every time I compete, I'm increasingly aware that my opportunities to step onto the ice are becoming fewer, making me treasure every moment even more. As long as I get to compete, I'll give it my all."

Although Fan missed the first two stops of this year, she remained engaged by closely following her teammates' performances. During this time, she dedicated herself to training and fine-tuning her equipment, making thorough preparations for the upcoming competitions.

"It was a pity I missed the first two stops of the World Tour," Fan added. "During that time, I made some adjustments to my equipment and switched to a new pair of skates. My old pair had been with me for two Olympic cycles, so I spent time finding and adapting to what feels most comfortable for me."

For Fan's younger athletes, her return undoubtedly strengthens the overall capabilities of the Chinese team.

"Fan Kexin is back, that of course makes our relay team stronger," Gong Li noted. "She brings a wealth of experience, which leads us to achieve even better results."

Italian Olympic champion Arianna Fontana also expressed her feelings about Fan's return, saying that she's happy for her.

"I'm really happy she's back and we always have fun skating against her," Fontana said. "She's a really good skater, a real good fighter on the eyes. So is always fun to be on the ice with her. And it's always a fight for sure when she's on the ice skating against me."