China’s two-time Winter Olympic champion Wu Dajing has announced his retirement from competitive skating after failing to qualify for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, according to multiple media reports.
The 31-year-old confirmed his decision yesterday, saying he did not wish to mark the occasion with a formal retirement ceremony. In a Weibo post, Wu said he was ready to stop chasing “one more fight,” describing his retirement as a decision made with calm and without regret.
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Wu rose to international prominence at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, where he won gold in the men’s 500-metre short track speed skating event, securing China’s only gold medal of those Games while also setting a world record. He added a second Olympic title four years later at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, helping China claim gold in the mixed 2,000-metre relay.
Over the course of his career, Wu amassed 124 medals, including 16 World Cup titles in the men’s 500 metres, and held both Olympic and world records in the event. Born in Jiamusi, Heilongjiang province, he began skating at the age of 10 and joined China’s national team at 16.
Wu has said he initially considered retirement after the Beijing Games but chose to continue competing due to his passion for the sport. His appearances in international competition became increasingly limited, with his final domestic outing coming at the 14th National Winter Games in 2024.
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In an effort to pursue a place at Milan-Cortina 2026, Wu later transitioned from short track to long-track speed skating – a shift that demands different techniques and physical adaptations. He subsequently acknowledged that the move was physically demanding and confirmed he did not pass the national team selection trials.
Following the setback, Wu said the moment marked the end of his competitive career and the beginning of a new phase beyond elite sport.
He currently serves as a coach at the Ice Sports Management Center under the Jilin Provincial Sports Bureau and teaches at the Physical Education College of Jilin University, where he continues to work in ice and snow sports education.
