Exclusive: How Ning Zhongyan shatters records and expectations at Milano Cortina 2026

China's Ning Zhongyan emerged as the standout performer at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, clinching gold in the men's 1500 meters with a record-breaking time of 1:41.98. Alongside his Olympic triumph, the 26-year-old speed skater secured two bronze medals in the 1000 meters and the team pursuit, making his haul a historic one. However, with the World Championships looming on March 5th, there is little time for him to revel in his achievements.

In an exclusive interview with Sports Scene's Greg Laffradi, Ning reflected on his unexpected ascent to gold medalist. "I never think I can get the Olympic gold medal," he admitted, modestly downplaying his monumental achievement. His triumphant run edged out pre-race favorite Jordan Stolz, who settled for silver with a time of 1:42.75, while defending champion Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands captured bronze at 1:42.82.

Despite his nerves racing against the world record holder Nuis, Ning expressed a quiet confidence that he and Nuis propelled each other to stellar times on the ice.

Reflecting on his past disappointments, including a seventh-place finish at Beijing 2022, Ning believes those setbacks fueled his extraordinary results in Milan.

Carrying the flag for China in the opening ceremony served not as a burden, but as inspiration. " feel that serving as the flag bearer for the Chinese delegation at the opening ceremony was a motivation for me, but I didn't feel any pressure. I am also deeply grateful to my country for its support and trust," he shared. "I am very happy that I lived up to everyone's expectations by winning a gold medal."

Ning exudes a belief in the future of the Chinese speed skating team, proclaiming their readiness to compete with the best in the world. "Previously, the speed skating team won a gold medal in 2022 and also secured one at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. However, there was still a gap in overall level compared to other strong nations. Between the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics, our speed skating team actually went through a lot. Each of us settled down, steadily improved in our individual events, and now we are able to compete with the world's best—that is the biggest achievement for us in this cycle.," he asserted.

As the world anticipates further developments from Ning and his teammates, he remains optimistic: Our speed skating team performed exceptionally well at the Milan Winter Olympics, which reflects both the expectations and recognition we have received. So, I believe that in the future, our speed skating team will continue to bring even more surprises."