Dauntless athlete Yu Jingxuan from Dongying city – located in East China's Shandong province – scooped up the silver medal on Feb 9 in the Women's Sprint Final of the Ski Mountaineering category at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games.
The games are being held in Harbin city in China's northernmost Heilongjiang province through to Feb 14.
A jubilant Yu Jingxuan receives the silver medal at the awards ceremony. [Photo/IC photo]
Ski mountaineering – a new event at this year's Asian Winter Games and a part of the 2026 Winter Olympics – combines snow mountain climbing with skiing. China has made rapid strides in the sport, demonstrating impressive strength and potential.
In the Women's Sprint event of Ski Mountaineering at this year's games, 17 athletes competed. From the early rounds, four Chinese athletes held the top four positions.
In the final, Yu Jingxuan improved her time to under three minutes, finishing with a time of 2 minutes 59.84 seconds to secure silver.
Cidan Yuzhen claimed the gold medal with a time of 2 minutes 55.88 seconds, while Suolang Quzhen took bronze and Ji Lulu finished fourth.
"Many may not understand this sport and wonder why we compete in such cold conditions," Yu declared.
She added that the training and competing was really tough and exhausting, but those who hadn't climbed from base to summit couldn't fully grasp the experience. She said that standing at the top was not just about the beautiful view, but also the unique sense of accomplishment.
Yu Jingxuan's silver medal at the 9th Asian Winter Games is said to have highlighted her exceptional talent and reflected the rising presence of Dongying on the international sports stage.
Moreover, her achievement is viewed as serving as an inspiration to local athletes and highlighted the city's growing presence in winter sports.
