FIS Cross-Country China City Sprint warms up for Beijing 2022

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The FIS Cross-Country China City Sprint has been held in Beijing on Friday. The event's first stop was at the Bird's Nest Celebration Square and will take place in three different venues in the city in four days to help promote the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The temperature is 15 degrees Celsius, not exactly typical cold conditions for the sport. The four-day competition consists of ladies' and men's individual sprints and has attracted more than 200 top athletes from home and abroad to gather in the Chinese capital city.

The first day's race is 1,745 meters over two laps. As an important international cross-country event held in the country this year, the competition aims to bring the sport out of the forests and trails where it is normally held and into the metropolis so people can enjoy it on the city streets and parks.

China's 18-year-old Dinigeer Yilamujiang claims a silver medal. /VCG Photo

The City Sprint, seen as a major move by Beijing to achieve the goal of "attracting 300 million people to winter sports by 2022," also offers an opportunity to train more talent around the country.

China's Dinigeer Yilamujiang comes first in group two of the ladies' sprint and goes on to win the silver in 4:26.82, just 0.19 seconds behind the winner Maria Nordstroem of Sweden.

James Clugnet of Great Britain wins the men's contest.

The second stop of the competition kicks off in Shougang Industrial Heritage Park, Beijing on Saturday.