With one month to go before the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games open on 6 February, China is entering the decisive phase of its Olympic build-up. Qualification races for snow and sliding events are nearing their conclusion, with teams shifting focus to final selection and pre-Games preparations.
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Chinese officials say the aim is to build on the momentum of Beijing 2022, when the host nation delivered its best-ever Winter Olympic performance. Replicating that success away from home, however, will be far more demanding.
China’s strongest overseas Winter Games showing still dates back to Vancouver 2010, underlining the scale of the challenge facing the Milan-bound squad.
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China has already secured 41 Olympic berths in ice events, and the final delegation is expected to reach a record scale for an overseas Winter Olympics once the remaining qualifications conclude later this month.
While short track speed skating continues to anchor medal hopes, recent results in freestyle skiing and snowboarding point to potential breakthroughs on snow – a key test of whether China’s post-Beijing progress can translate into sustained success on the global stage.
