China's winter sports stars sharpen form ahead of Winter Olympics

LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- With the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics almost underway, China's athletes are ramping up their final preparations, with the likes of Su Yiming, Xu Mengtao and Gu Ailing leading the country's push for success.

Su is aiming to build on his gold medal in the men's big air competition at Beijing 2022. Known for his precision in the air, he has focused on sharpening his jumps and aerial control. In Thursday's big air qualification, Su rebounded from an early setback to advance to the final.

Xu, a standout in freestyle skiing, continues to fine-tune her aerials after winning the women's aerials gold at the Beijing Games. She has carried strong form into the season, collecting multiple gold and silver medals on the FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup circuit.

Gu, one of China's brightest young athletes, has also stepped up her preparation. The 22-year-old freestyle skier, who won gold and silver four years ago, has been training extensively in Italy, combining strength work with on-snow sessions to refine her jumps, spins and endurance.

China's delegation includes 126 athletes set to compete in 91 events across seven sports and 15 disciplines, marking the country's largest team and event entry for an overseas Winter Olympics. ■