Chinese athletes aiming for further success at 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will begin on February 6. Chinese athletes – young talents and veteran stars alike – have been hard at work preparing for the global snow and ice showcase, with some of the podium favorites steadily rounding into peak form over the past year.

The ISU Short Track World Tour concluded its four stops with China clinching full qualification for the Games. Led by Liu Shaolin, Liu Shaoang, Lin Xiaojun and Sun Long, the team bagged one gold, six silver and four bronze medals this season.

Most importantly, they earned the maximum possible quota for next year's Winter Olympics – five men and five women – and will compete in all nine events.

Elsewhere on the ice, Beijing 2022 champion Gao Tingyu and Asian Winter Games gold medalist Ning Zhongyan are leading the charge in speed skating. After four World Cup stops, China's haul is one silver and four bronzes medals.

In figure skating, China has qualified for all four disciplines at Milano Cortina 2026 – men's, women's, pairs and ice dance. Iconic pairs champions Han Cong and Sui Wenjing have laced up their skates once more, and after coming out of retirement, they are aiming for a glorious encore in Italy.

On the curling sheet, both the Chinese men's and women's teams have booked their places at the Winter Olympics. China will not be represented in the mixed doubles event, however, after coming up short in qualifying.

Snowboard prodigy and 2022 Games men's big air champion Su Yiming made a convincing return to competition, not just winning, but dominating while earning back-to-back World Cup titles in Zhangjiakou and Beijing.

China's freestyle skiing queen Gu Ailing reminded everyone of her talent with a breathtaking performance upon returning from injury. In her signature women's halfpipe event, she pocketed gold with a stunning final run at the FIS Freeski World Cup to continue along the road to defending her two Olympic titles.

In freeski aerials, Beijing 2022 champion Xu Mengtao is aiming for an incredible fifth appearance at the Games. The 35-year-old won the individual and mixed team titles at two recent World Cup stops, extending her inspiring pursuit of another Olympic podium.

From returning legends like Han Cong, Sui Wenjing, and Xu Mengtao, to reigning champions like Gu Ailing and Su Yiming, and the powerful teams on the ice – the foundation for China's campaign for the coming Winter Games is solidly in place. The journey from hosting the Games in Beijing to conquering the Olympics abroad continues, with the target set to make history in Italy.