BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. 9th Asian Winter Games opens in Harbin
Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the 9th Asian Winter Games open in Harbin, capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on February 7.
Running through to February 14, the Harbin Games, with the slogan "Dream of Winter, Love among Asia," represents another major international winter sports event hosted by China following the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. It also marks the country's third time hosting the Asian Winter Games, following Harbin 1996 and Changchun 2007.
A record 34 countries and regions are competing in Harbin 2025, surpassing the previous high set at the 8th Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan in 2017. Over 1,200 athletes are participating in ice events in Harbin and snow events in Yabuli, marking an increase from the previous record of 1,147 at the Sapporo Games.
2. Li Fanghui wins China's first gold at Harbin Asian Winter Games
Li Fanghui secured China's first gold medal at the Harbin Asian Winter Games, triumphing in the women's freeski halfpipe event at the Yabuli Ski Resort on February 8.
The 21-year-old led the competition with an impressive score of 95.25 points. Zhang Kexin, also representing China, claimed the silver medal with 89.25, while South Korea's Jang Yu-jin took home the bronze with a score of 85.00.
Li Lei won China's 100th gold in the Games' history from the cross-country skiing women's sprint classic final.
As the first medal day concluded, China leads the medal table with eight gold, eight silver and five bronze medals.
3. IOC president Bach expects high for Harbin Asian Winter Games
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, who is in Harbin attending the Asian Winter Games' opening ceremony, told Xinhua on February 7 that the event would exceed expectations.
Bach said, "I'm here in the traditional winter sport center of China and see the great development over the last six years, knowing about the expertise of the people of Harbin and of China organizing great sporting events. So the expectations are very high. As I know, China will even exceed these high expectations."
4. China's Lin captures his first title in men's skeleton at IBSF World Cup
China's Lin Qinwei claimed his first title in the season's final men's skeleton race at the IBSF World Cup in Lillehammer, Norway on February 7.
In January, Lin and Zhao Dan won the second mixed team race of the season in Winterberg, Germany, marking China's first-ever World Cup triumph in the event that will be added to the program of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
5. China to sweep titles at WTT Singapore Smash
China has secured five titles on offer at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash.
The achievement was made as Wang Chuqin/Lin Shidong and Wang Manyu/Kuai Man triumphed in the men's and women's doubles finals, respectively, and Chinese paddlers sealed all spots in the men's and women's singles title matches on February 8.
In the concluding day of the first WTT Grand Smash tournament of 2025, Lin will face Liang Jingkun in the men's singles final, while Kuai and Sun Yingsha will contend for the women's title. ■
