Under the stars at Verona Arena, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics bid farewell on Monday, but China’s record-smashing run will echo for years. Securing 15 medals – matching Beijing 2022’s total with five golds, four silvers, six bronzes – this was China’s finest showing ever abroad, redefining its global winter sports stature.
Breaking it down, officials pointed to broadened medal sports, rising collective strength, talent explosion, and young guns stepping up. Ice sports once ruled China’s winter realm, but snow events stole the spotlight post-Beijing, surging ahead in Milan with commanding results.
Snow sports haul: four golds, three silvers, four bronzes. Su Yiming’s slopestyle snowboarding gold featured breathtaking amplitude. Shu Mengtao’s aerial flips in women’s freestyle skiing earned gold; Wang Xindi mirrored her in men’s. Kuailing’s halfpipe heroics sealed another.
Ice delivered drama via Ning Chongyan’s 1,500m speed skating masterclass – 1:41.98, Olympic record, gold. China’s sole ice podium but pure excellence.
Flame out, flag to France: Milan’s close chapters China’s ascent. Gear up for 2030 in the French Alps – expect the Middle Kingdom to conquer more peaks.