Harbin holds second speed skating test event for Asian Winter Games

Harbin, the host city for the ninth Asian Winter Games, hosted the second test event for speed skating on Sunday and Monday, meaning that the preparations for sport at the program are about to wrap up.

All of the competitions were conducted in line with the requirements of formal races, including the use of formal timing system and gears for skaters. Local sprots administration of Heilongjiang Province has selected 63 elite athletes to participate in the test event.

Drills were also launched for non-competition parts including broadcasting, awards ceremony, medical service and spectator attendance among other things.

The ninth Asian Winter Games will begin on February 7 and the first foreign athlete using his Asian Winter Games registration card to enter China was Amitesh Mishra of India.

"I am really looking forward to it (the Games), this is my second Asian Games. I think China generally does a great job hosting the event," he told China Media Group (CMG).

Foreign athletes and related staff from the Asian Winter Games can enter and exit China multiple times using their valid passports or other international travel documents, along with their valid Asian Winter Games registration cards, from January to March.