Chinese Relay Triumph Sets New Record at Asian Winter Games

At the Harbin Asian Winter Games, the Chinese biathlon women's 4x6km relay team delivered a remarkable performance, with Meng Fanqi and her teammates Tang Jialin, Wen Ying, and Chu Yuanmeng overcoming pressure to secure a comeback win. Recording a time of 1 hour, 29 minutes, and 6.3 seconds, the Chinese team finished ahead of South Korea and Kazakhstan, marking a milestone achievement by earning the nation its 19th gold medal in snow events—a record high for a single Asian Winter Games appearance. Meng Fanqi, who played a crucial role in the final leg, reflected on the experience, noting that she exceeded her usual performance in both skiing and shooting, a testament to her determination under pressure.

In other events at the Games, the last day saw intense battles across several disciplines. The men's 4x7.5km relay witnessed Japan clinching the gold with a fast time, while Kazakhstan secured silver and China settled for bronze following some shooting missteps. The snowboard halfpipe finals for both men and women in Yabuli were canceled due to strong winds after several rescheduling attempts, so the standings from Wednesday's qualifying rounds were upheld, awarding the top spots in the events to Japan and South Korea respectively.

Figure skating also brought its share of excitement as South Korea dominated the individual singles events. Kim Chae-yeon earned the women's title with a high score, while Cha Jun-hwan led the men's category, both athletes reaching new personal milestones during their routines. In ice hockey, notable upsets occurred when Kazakhstan defeated China 3-1 in the men's semifinal, paving the way for a final showdown with Japan, who had narrowly beaten South Korea. Similarly, in the women's ice hockey tournament, China is set to face Japan while South Korea and Kazakhstan prepare for a decisive round-robin encounter. The curling events have also drawn attention, with South Korea and the Philippines slated to battle for the men's gold and China preparing for a showdown with South Korea in the women's final.

As the Games approach their conclusion, anticipation builds for the final ice hockey and curling matches, with the closing ceremony scheduled to take place at the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center on Friday night.