https://www.scmp.com/rss/511687/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva received a four-year doping ban on Monday, effectively stripping the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) of its gold medal in the team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games nearly two years after the competition. In its long-awaited ruling, the highest court in sport found Valieva guilty of committing an anti-doping rule violation that rattled the Beijing Olympics and frustrated competitors who are still waiting for their medals from the event to be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3250222/figure-skater-kamila-valieva-banned-doping-russians-lose-olympic-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3250222/figure-skater-kamila-valieva-banned-doping-russians-lose-olympic-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:28:42 +0000 First, the chief of the Chinese Football Association and his senior associates were investigated. Then a deputy sports minister was arrested, followed by several heads of other national sports administrations, including winter sports, track and field and rowing. By late September, the latest work group from the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) had landed several blows on the General Administration of Sport (GAS), netting the director of the Winter Sports... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3235409/why-so-many-sport-chiefs-china-have-come-under-corruption-clouds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3235409/why-so-many-sport-chiefs-china-have-come-under-corruption-clouds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Sep 2023 22:00:13 +0000 Eileen Gu was one of the stand-out stars of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Now she has captured the attention of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The 18-year-old, US-born freestyle skier and part-time model gained millions of fans around the world for her achievements at the Games, where she won two gold medals and one silver for China. But it was her obsession with Chinese food – dumplings and pies in particular – that bridged a cultural divide and transformed her into one of the biggest celebrities... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3173679/eileen-gus-love-chinese-pies-catches-president-xi-jinpings-attention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3173679/eileen-gus-love-chinese-pies-catches-president-xi-jinpings-attention?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Apr 2022 05:39:12 +0000 Hong Kong Winter Olympian Adrian Yung Hau-tseun will “cherish” his Beijing Games experience for the rest of his life – but less so his runs on the Yanqing slopes. “After the rather poor showing at the Olympics, I’m hungry to redeem myself and show Hong Kong that their faith is not misplaced,” said the 17-year-old alpine skier, who finished with DNFs in the giant slalom and slalom events last month. “I want to bring something back for [fans] to see. To show the world that Hong Kong skiing can be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170838/winter-olympics-skier-adrian-yung-wants-repay-his-faithful-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170838/winter-olympics-skier-adrian-yung-wants-repay-his-faithful-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Mar 2022 00:30:13 +0000 Three of Hong Kong’s most promising sportsmen have been admitted into the University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) “Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme”, the institution confirmed in a press release on Tuesday. Tennis player Coleman Wong Chak-lam, alpine skier Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen, and sailor Russell Williams Aylsworth will receive scholarships of HK$400,000 covering tuition fee waivers, living allowances, residential scholarships, and support for international exchange opportunities. HKU will also... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170579/promising-hong-kong-athletes-coleman-wong-adrian-yung-and-russell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170579/promising-hong-kong-athletes-coleman-wong-adrian-yung-and-russell?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:44:58 +0000 China have emerged as a new Winter Paralympics powerhouse at their own Beijing Games, topping the medals table in a stunning success backed by huge investment and aided by the absence of Russian athletes. The hosts finished proudly top of the table on Sunday with 18 golds and 61 medals in all – a remarkable rise given that they only made their Winter Paralympics debut in 2002 and it was not until Pyeongchang, four years ago, that they won their first medal, a gold in wheelchair curling. “The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3170297/winter-paralympics-stunning-success-makes-china-games-powerhouse-tops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3170297/winter-paralympics-stunning-success-makes-china-games-powerhouse-tops?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Mar 2022 09:30:24 +0000 Defending champion China bagged the wheelchair curling gold at the Beijing 2022 Paralympics Winter Games on Saturday after defeating Sweden 8-3 at the National Aquatics Centre. On a day that saw 11 additional podium spots for China, including four gold medals, the country’s wheelchair curling team defended their title in spectacular style to take the game 8-3 after just seven ends. After China took an early lead, Sweden managed to capitalise on a mistake and level the scoring, but Haitao Wang... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3170234/winter-paralympics-canadian-skier-brian-mckeever-makes-history-16th?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3170234/winter-paralympics-canadian-skier-brian-mckeever-makes-history-16th?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Mar 2022 04:30:20 +0000 Liu Mengtao became the first Chinese Para biathlete to win three medals at a Winter Paralympic Games, after claiming the men’s individual sitting gold on Friday in spectacular fashion. Having previously taken gold in the middle distance and bronze in the sprint, the Paralympic debutant finished first in the 12.5km race in 38 minutes and 29.4 seconds without missing a single shot in the four rounds of prone shooting. Liu clinched gold ahead of Ukraine’s Taras Rad by 44.5 seconds. The 22-year-old,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3170170/winter-paralympics-liu-mengtao-becomes-chinas-first-para-biathlete-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3170170/winter-paralympics-liu-mengtao-becomes-chinas-first-para-biathlete-win?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Mar 2022 10:34:24 +0000 Ukraine’s Winter Paralympics delegation wept and pumped their fists in the air in defiance of Russia’s invasion of their homeland during a moment’s silence at the Athletes’ Village in Beijing on Thursday. On day 6 of the 2022 Games – which saw medal table leader China add one bronze in the alpine skiing event – Ukraine held a solemn ceremony to call for peace, and honour their fallen countrymen and women, during a break from training commitments as well as cross-country skiing and biathlon... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169983/winter-paralympics-tearful-ukraine-team-pay-tribute-countrys-fallen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169983/winter-paralympics-tearful-ukraine-team-pay-tribute-countrys-fallen?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Mar 2022 10:28:44 +0000 China’s Para cross-country skiers continued their gold rush at the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games on Wednesday, as the host extended its lead at the top of the medal table. Zheng Peng eased to gold in the men’s sprint sitting event with a time of 2:42.40 to get things under way on day 5 at a sunny Zhangjiakou Biathlon Centre. This was the 29-year-old Putian native’s second gold medal, having won one in the men’s 15km sitting event last Sunday. Teammate Mao Zhongwu earned his second silver medal... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169857/winter-paralympics-china-secures-two-more-golds-para-cross-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169857/winter-paralympics-china-secures-two-more-golds-para-cross-country?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Mar 2022 12:27:23 +0000 Cross-country skiers ploughed through slushy snow wearing T-shirts on day five of the Beijing Winter Paralympics on Wednesday as spring-like weather pushed temperatures well above freezing. The warm spell caught some skiers off guard on the largely man-made snow at the Zhangjiakou cross-country event where six gold medals were up for grabs. Athletes in the Olympics last month at the same venue had battled blizzard conditions and a brutal wind chill, with some events postponed because of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169824/winter-paralympics-slushy-snow-and-t-shirts-athletes-feel-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169824/winter-paralympics-slushy-snow-and-t-shirts-athletes-feel-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Mar 2022 08:55:52 +0000 A Ukrainian biathlete withdrew from a competition at the Beijing Paralympics after her father was captured by Russian troops. Anastasiia Laletina did not race in the biathlon middle distance sitting event Tuesday after she heard her father, a soldier in the Ukrainian army was taken prisoner by Russian soldiers, team spokeswoman Nataliia Harach confirmed to USA Today on Tuesday. “They beat him,” Harach said. Laletina, 19, was tended to by a team doctor, Harach said. According to her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169763/ukraine-invasion-paralympian-withdraws-beijing-games-after-father?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169763/ukraine-invasion-paralympian-withdraws-beijing-games-after-father?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Mar 2022 01:28:05 +0000 A sense of purpose washed over Ukrainian athletes on day 4 of the Winter Paralympics, as gold medallist Iryna Bui led a clean sweep of the podium in the women’s biathlon. “We would like to dedicate our results and medals to each and every Ukrainian and all the soldiers in the Ukrainian army who protect us,” Bui said on Russia’s invasion of her country. Paralympic debutant Liu Mengtao, 20, won China’s eighth gold with victory in the Para biathlon men’s middle distance. But Ukraine athletes took... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169707/winter-paralympics-ukraine-seals-clean-sweep-womens-biathlon-iryna-bui?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169707/winter-paralympics-ukraine-seals-clean-sweep-womens-biathlon-iryna-bui?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Mar 2022 10:21:49 +0000 China’s gold rush continued on day three of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games. The hosts made a clean sweep of Para snowboard men’s cross upper limb impaired event on Monday in an all-China, four-person final. The four finalists were making their Paralympic debut, but it was 19-year-old Ji Lijia who topped the podium at the end of an eventful run. Halfway through the race, Zhang Yiqi, who was in third position, lost balance and fell, taking his teammate Zhu Yonggang down with him. As a result,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169568/winter-paralympics-chinas-gold-rush-continues-hosts-sweep-podium-mens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169568/winter-paralympics-chinas-gold-rush-continues-hosts-sweep-podium-mens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Mar 2022 12:15:10 +0000 The International Paralympic Committee is demanding answers from China’s state broadcaster after an impassioned, anti-war speech by its head appeared to have been censored during the Beijing winter games opening ceremony on Friday evening. “We are aware of reports and have asked CCTV for an explanation,” an IPC spokesperson said. CCTV could not be immediately reached for comment outside office hours on Saturday. Paralympics President Andrew Parsons told the audience, which included President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169537/paralympic-body-asks-china-why-it-censored-anti-war-remarks-during?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169537/paralympic-body-asks-china-why-it-censored-anti-war-remarks-during?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Mar 2022 07:26:56 +0000 China’s Winter Paralympic athletes are thriving on home snow, taking their gold medal tally to six on day two of the Beijing Games on Sunday. After winning silver on day 1, Zhang Mengqiu etched her name into the history books by winning China’s first alpine skiing gold, while cross country skier Zheng Peng claimed gold in Para cross country men’s long distance sitting. Liang Jingyi took gold in the men’s Super-G standing event and Yang Hongqiong earned top honours in the women’s Para cross... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169428/winter-paralympics-zhang-mengqiu-wins-chinas-first-ever-alpine-skiing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169428/winter-paralympics-zhang-mengqiu-wins-chinas-first-ever-alpine-skiing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 04:23:16 +0000 As China ice hockey captain Brandon Yip led his history making Beijing Winter Olympics team out the National Indoor Stadium last month, his two biggest fans were cheering from their television at the crack of dawn some 8,500km away. Based in the “little old” city of Maple Ridge, Vancouver, Wayne and Gale Yip watched their son pay tribute to his Chinese heritage while paving the way for a new generation of mainland hockey enthusiasts. Three of Brandon’s grandparents were born in China. He is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169355/winter-olympics-china-ice-hockey-team-captain-brandon-yips-journey-nhl?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169355/winter-olympics-china-ice-hockey-team-captain-brandon-yips-journey-nhl?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 02:15:23 +0000 Chinese Para biathletes Liu Zixu and Guo Yujie won the country’s first gold medals of the Beijing Winter Paralympics in the men’s sprint sitting and women’s sprint standing, respectively, on Saturday. The hosts got off to a super start on day one of the Games, shooting to second in the overall medal table with eight – two gold, three silver and three bronze medals. A much fired-up Ukraine leads the tally with three golds. Aside from Liu and Guo’s golds, teammates Shan Yilin won silver in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169360/winter-paralympics-china-wins-first-gold-thanks-biathlete-liu-zixu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169360/winter-paralympics-china-wins-first-gold-thanks-biathlete-liu-zixu?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Mar 2022 04:35:29 +0000 It had been less than two weeks since the closing of the Olympics when Beijing’s Bird’s Nest came together again on Friday night, lighting up for the start of the Winter Paralympics. But the world has dramatically changed in those 12 days – and International Paralympics Committee chief Andrew Parsons delivered a passionate, at times angry, speech out of step with the laid-back, simple celebrations on show inside the National Stadium. “Tonight, I must begin with a message of peace,” Parsons said.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169324/winter-paralympics-ipc-chief-andrew-parsons-calls-peace-passionate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169324/winter-paralympics-ipc-chief-andrew-parsons-calls-peace-passionate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Mar 2022 14:35:10 +0000 The Winter Paralympics officially open in Beijing on Friday evening, and like last month’s Olympics the build up has been turbulent. Covid-19 restrictions and a growing war in Ukraine have cast a shadow over the event, but athletes now have their chance to compete, and organisers are hoping the success of the Winter Games flows into the Paralympics. The opening ceremony at the Bird’s Nest Stadium will be attended by dignitaries including Chinese President Xi Jinping. The first of 78 gold medals... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169218/winter-paralympics-all-you-need-know-about-beijing-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169218/winter-paralympics-all-you-need-know-about-beijing-games?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Mar 2022 06:30:27 +0000 Team USA Nordic skier Grace Miller is tipped for a breakout performance in what will already be her second Winter Paralympics. The 22-year-old has been excitedly posting Beijing Games titbits on her social media, giving fans a glimpse of slick national team outfits, athlete’s village “smart” beds and 24/7 food supplies- but competing in the mainland holds a much deeper meaning. Born without a left forearm in Guangzhou, Miller was adopted by a single American mother at the age of three. She would... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169197/beijing-paralympics-grace-miller-china-born-us-cross-country-skier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169197/beijing-paralympics-grace-miller-china-born-us-cross-country-skier?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Mar 2022 04:15:13 +0000 Guo Yujie and Wang Zhidong have been named as the Chinese delegation’s flag bearers at Friday’s opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. Guo, a female para cross-country and para biathlon skier born in north China’s Hebei Province, who has upper limb disabilities, brings a significant contribution to para sports, having won three gold medals and three silvers at China’s 11th National Para Games in 2021. The 21-year-old Wang is a core player in the Chinese men’s para ice... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169068/winter-paralympics-china-name-para-cross-country-and-para-ice-hockey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169068/winter-paralympics-china-name-para-cross-country-and-para-ice-hockey?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:15:08 +0000 In a stunning reversal, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from the Winter Paralympic Games for their countries’ roles in the war in Ukraine, the International Paralympic Committee said Thursday in Beijing. The about-face comes less than 24 hours after the IPC on Wednesday announced it would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete when the Games open on Friday, but only as neutral athletes with colours, flags and other national symbols removed. The IPC received immediate... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169071/winter-paralympics-russian-belarusian-athletes-kicked-out-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169071/winter-paralympics-russian-belarusian-athletes-kicked-out-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Mar 2022 07:25:36 +0000 As International Olympic Committee officials were attacked in recent years over their refusal to weigh in on alleged rights abuses in China, they stuck rigidly to one retort: the IOC is an impartial body and sport must be insulated from politics. “The position of the IOC must be, given [our] political neutrality, that we are not commenting on political issues,” IOC President Thomas Bach said on the eve of the Beijing Winter Games last month. But in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3169018/after-action-against-russia-ioc-accused-gross-hypocrisy-over-silence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3169018/after-action-against-russia-ioc-accused-gross-hypocrisy-over-silence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:11:49 +0000 While still basking in the afterglow of the Beijing Winter Olympics, organisers are quickly making accessible and barrier-free modifications for the Paralympians arriving in China. The Winter Paralympics are set to open amid the long-running pandemic and in the shadow of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The event for athletes with disabilities starts on Friday and runs until March 13. The host has just 11 days between the Olympics closing ceremony and the Paralympics opening ceremony,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3168907/winter-games-beijing-organisers-deliver-paralympic-makeover-time-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3168907/winter-games-beijing-organisers-deliver-paralympic-makeover-time-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2022 05:15:12 +0000 Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete as neutrals at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said after meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. In a statement, the IPC said athletes from both countries must compete under the Paralympic flag and will not be included in the medal table. Beijing’s Winter Paralympics open on Friday under the shadow of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, and a growing list of sporting federations that have banned Russian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168906/winter-paralympics-decision-day-russian-athletes-officials-discuss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168906/winter-paralympics-decision-day-russian-athletes-officials-discuss?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2022 05:01:35 +0000 China has confirmed its biggest-ever squad for a Paralympic Games, with a record 96 athletes looking to mirror the success of the hosts’ Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics delegation. Beijing marks China’s sixth appearance at a Winter Paralympics, which run from March 4 to 13. The Chinese delegation includes 68 male and 28 female athletes, with an average age of 25. At 45 years old, alpine skier Zhang Haiyuan is the oldest Paralympian in the delegation. She is also one of the most accomplished, having... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168808/china-confirms-record-96-athletes-beijing-winter-paralympic-games-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168808/china-confirms-record-96-athletes-beijing-winter-paralympic-games-final?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:15:18 +0000 The world’s best Paralympic athletes will gather in Beijing for the 13th Winter Games over the next two weeks and like the Winter Olympics, much of this year’s focus will shift to the rising stars looking to make their mark on history. Most of these rookie stars are first-timers and therefore are being watched with excitement, as some of them are expected to drive their respective sports in the future. We take a closer look at six rising young Para athletes to watch at the Beijing 2022... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168791/winter-paralympics-6-rising-stars-watch-out-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168791/winter-paralympics-6-rising-stars-watch-out-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Mar 2022 08:45:20 +0000 US Olympic chiefs have thrown their support behind International Olympic Committee calls for Russian athletes to be barred from international competition following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement on Tuesday they backed the IOC’s demands for Russian athletes to be suspended, and urged the ban to include the Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing this week. “The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the USOPC Athletes Advisory... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3168785/ukraine-invasion-us-calls-russian-athletes-be-thrown-out-winter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3168785/ukraine-invasion-us-calls-russian-athletes-be-thrown-out-winter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Mar 2022 06:52:12 +0000 None of the 20 athletes from the Ukrainian Paralympic team has reached Beijing with the Games opening at the end of the week, the International Paralympic Committee said Monday. IPC spokesman Craig Spence, in an interview with Associated Press, said he was hopeful the athletes would arrive in China for Friday’s opening ceremony despite difficult logistics. He declined to disclose the team’s whereabouts, citing safety concerns and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We’re in regular dialogue with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3168643/winter-paralympics-ukraine-athletes-yet-arrive-beijing-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3168643/winter-paralympics-ukraine-athletes-yet-arrive-beijing-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Feb 2022 07:15:14 +0000 Chinese Olympic freestyle skiing stars Xu Mengtao and Wang Xindi announced their relationship via social media last week. Legendary aerial skier Xu, who in Zhangjiakou this month became the first Chinese woman to win an Olympic gold medal in her discipline, has been posting a series of couple photos on Instagram with Wang with the Chinese caption “us” alongside a heart emoji. The 31-year-old posted nine more on Weibo of the pair after various events at the Chang Cheng Ling Ski Resort with the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3168613/winter-olympics-gold-and-silver-medallist-skiers-xu-mengtao-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3168613/winter-olympics-gold-and-silver-medallist-skiers-xu-mengtao-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:30:27 +0000 South Korea may be geographically small compared to its neighbours China and Japan, with a significantly shorter history of competitive sports than, say, Europe or North America, but it’s a powerhouse in certain Olympic events. The country is known for being unstoppable in archery, a force to be reckoned with in fencing and the originator of the internationally popular martial art taekwondo. Then there’s short-track speedskating, for which South Korea has been the top medal-winner since the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3168543/south-koreas-olympic-winners-fury-and-fall-grace-top-speed-skaters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3168543/south-koreas-olympic-winners-fury-and-fall-grace-top-speed-skaters?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Feb 2022 00:00:23 +0000 Before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, we asked what success for China might look like. In the second of our two-part series, Jack Lau and Cyril Ip look at how China fared in the political arena. The five Olympic rings stood above a masked President Xi Jinping, as he waved to the camera and stood in front of a pastel blue backdrop for the 2022 Winter Games. His wife Peng Liyuan stood beside him at the photo-op, surrounded by 25 other socially distanced world leaders who flew to Beijing for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168221/winter-olympics-has-chinas-games-success-raised-its-global-standing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168221/winter-olympics-has-chinas-games-success-raised-its-global-standing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Feb 2022 02:15:11 +0000 Before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, we asked what success for China might look like. In the first of a two-part series, Jess Ma looks at the host nation’s achievements on the snow and ice. “Simple, safe and splendid” was China’s promise for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. What followed over 16 days of competition this month were fierce battles on the slopes and rinks for athletes, and with the raging Omicron variant and diplomatic boycotts for organisers. Rigorous Covid-19 testing meant... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168158/will-chinas-winter-olympics-buzz-last-judging-success-beijing-2022?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168158/will-chinas-winter-olympics-buzz-last-judging-success-beijing-2022?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Feb 2022 02:15:19 +0000 Winter Olympics gold medallist figure skater Nathan Chen has been reunited with his Beijing-born and raised mother on US national television. The 22-year-old was visibly shocked to see mother Hetty Wang’s surprise appearance during his interview on NBC’s Today show. Chen, who often cites his mother’s sacrifices for his career since stepping on ice aged three, immediately placed his gold medal around Wang’s neck. He had not seen her in about a month. “What the heck? No way! Oh my gosh. It’s my... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168084/winter-olympics-us-gold-medallist-nathan-chen-thanks-beijing-born?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3168084/winter-olympics-us-gold-medallist-nathan-chen-thanks-beijing-born?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Feb 2022 11:15:11 +0000 Hong Kong is sending a four-member squad including two Winter Olympians to try to win a first medal at the Asian Alpine Ski Championships, which start in Mzaar, Lebanon on Thursday. Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen and Audrey King, who represented the city at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics last week, will be joined by two young skiers – Chloe Wong and Eloise King, Audrey’s cousin. Hong Kong has never won a medal at the regional championships, with the best result a podium finish in a children’s event,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168061/hong-kong-pair-hope-put-winter-olympics-disappointment-behind-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168061/hong-kong-pair-hope-put-winter-olympics-disappointment-behind-them?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Feb 2022 07:15:11 +0000 Eileen Gu is going to Stanford this year, that much is clear. But beyond that, the three-time Olympic medallist is keeping her cards close to her chest, for now anyway. The 18-year-old leaves the Beijing Winter Olympics a bona fide star, a household name in China, and someone who has the world in the palm of her hand. After her historic two golds and one silver at Beijing 2022, California-born Gu now looks ready to slide from the Olympic podium into being one of China’s biggest stars. Her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167969/eileen-gu-had-best-two-weeks-my-life-whats-next-golden-girl-stanford?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167969/eileen-gu-had-best-two-weeks-my-life-whats-next-golden-girl-stanford?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Feb 2022 12:15:24 +0000 North Korea’s Kim Jong-un vowed to strengthen cooperation with China and together “frustrate” threats and hostile policies from the United States and its allies, state media reported on Tuesday. Kim made the remarks in a verbal message to Chinese President Xi Jinping, congratulating him on the successful completion of the Beijing Olympics, state news agency KCNA said in a summary. North Korea and China are defending and advancing socialism, while “frustrating the undisguised hostile policy and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3167888/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-congratulates-china-beijing-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3167888/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-congratulates-china-beijing-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Feb 2022 22:24:24 +0000 Taiwan’s government has denounced one of its Olympic flag-bearers after the speed skater was seen in an online video wearing the suit of the Chinese national team, with one lawmaker calling her attire the “uniform of the enemy”. China and Taiwan have been at odds for decades as Beijing regards the island as its territory, vowing to seize it one day – by force if necessary. Self-ruled, democratic Taiwan is often held up as a bastion of liberalism but authorities have said Olympian Huang Yu-ting... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167852/winter-olympics-taiwan-skater-who-wore-china-outfit-may-be-punished?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167852/winter-olympics-taiwan-skater-who-wore-china-outfit-may-be-punished?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Feb 2022 10:49:28 +0000 Warnings to use disposable “burner” phones and laptops. Privacy-protecting software. Concerns about a security flaw in an official Games smartphone app. Such precautions fuelled unease about data privacy for competitors and attendees at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Not everyone heeded them. “Honestly, I’ve been coming to China for 12 years or whatever, and I’m not that important,” Mark McMorris, the Canadian snowboarder, said. “Maybe if I was a diplomat or something, then I’d switch out my... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167789/winter-olympics-games-may-be-over-cybersecurity-worries-linger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167789/winter-olympics-games-may-be-over-cybersecurity-worries-linger?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:30:20 +0000 The world trooped cautiously into the 2022 Beijing Olympics, wary about the “closed loop”, a diplomatic boycott, human rights and the silencing of athletes. But after two weeks of action-packed sport, passion, triumph and human endeavour, the closed loop gave way to an “open China”, as more global viewers than ever before soaked up the tension, drama and emotions that encapsulate the Olympic spirit in a Games that appeared to have fulfilled its motto of “Together for a Shared Future”. The Winter... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167753/winter-olympics-china-brings-curtain-down-extraordinary-games-ioc-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167753/winter-olympics-china-brings-curtain-down-extraordinary-games-ioc-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 14:22:26 +0000 Crowned “Hong Kong’s handsome flag-bearer” on the opening day, and leaving as the city’s highest-ranked Olympic male entrant in history, it is fair to say Sidney Chu has had a memorable Beijing Winter Games. The 22-year-old, who finished 24th in the men’s 500m short-track speedskating event last week, is seeing out post-Olympic Village quarantine before getting straight back to training in the mainland. “The Olympics spirit is real – I didn’t really have a concept of what it was, specifically,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3167735/winter-olympics-hong-kongs-sidney-chu-reflects-beijings-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3167735/winter-olympics-hong-kongs-sidney-chu-reflects-beijings-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 10:01:56 +0000 This story has been made freely available to our readers as part of our Olympics coverage. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. With the final medals handed out, the last winners lauded and losers consoled, attention turned to the closing ceremony at Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium on Sunday evening. By any measure the Winter Olympics have been a resounding success for the host nation, both on and off the ice. China’s athletes have enjoyed more success than at any Games... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167707/winter-olympics-counting-down-beijing-2022-closing-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167707/winter-olympics-counting-down-beijing-2022-closing-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 09:59:05 +0000 Japanese superstar Yuzuru Hanyu was at his ethereal best skimming across Olympic ice for what might be the last time, as he joined the best figure skaters of the Beijing Games at the exhibition gala. Inside the Capital Indoor Stadium, the crowd went wild – outside, fans lined up with Winnie the Pooh toys, waiting to catch a glimpse of their hero, one even in a full bear body suit. Despite his disappointing fourth place finish in Beijing, double Olympic champion Hanyu inspires passionate devotion... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167732/winter-olympics-japans-ice-prince-yuzuru-hanyu-thrills-fans-figure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167732/winter-olympics-japans-ice-prince-yuzuru-hanyu-thrills-fans-figure?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 09:31:19 +0000 Hong Kong’s Winter Olympic delegation will not attend the closing ceremony in Beijing on Sunday night, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) said. Its record-breaking three athletes – short-track speed skater Sidney Chu, and Alpine skiers Audrey King and Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen – alongside coaches and remaining representatives have already left the “closed-loop bubble” Beijing 2022 organisers created over Covid-19 concerns. “As the three athletes from the Hong Kong, China delegation... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3167726/winter-olympics-hong-kong-squad-miss-closing-ceremony-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3167726/winter-olympics-hong-kong-squad-miss-closing-ceremony-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 07:19:07 +0000 Coaches Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo were in the audience last night, as their pupils Sui Wenjing and Han Cong followed in their footsteps and took home China’s second Olympic gold in pair figure skating. Nostalgia was felt by Chinese fans on a celebratory evening. Beijing 2022 is China’s arrival as a world-class winter sports power, and Shen and Zhao have been its eye witnesses since the beginning. The two paired up in 1992 - the year their student Han Cong, three years his partner’s elder, was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167721/winter-olympics-who-are-shen-xue-and-zhao-hongbo-golden-couple-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167721/winter-olympics-who-are-shen-xue-and-zhao-hongbo-golden-couple-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 07:00:12 +0000 So that it’s then, just like that the Winter Olympics is over for another four years, and what a journey it has been. Beijing made history as being the first city to host both the summer and winter versions, China enjoyed its most successful Games ever, and in Eileen Gu and Su Yiming it had the faces of the Olympics. And then there were the likes of Kamila Valieva and Zhu Yi, two figure skaters who will be remembered for vastly different reasons, but who are both part of the story of the 2022... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167710/winter-olympics-top-10-moments-beijing-games-golden-girl-eileen-gu-yet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167710/winter-olympics-top-10-moments-beijing-games-golden-girl-eileen-gu-yet?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 06:15:21 +0000 American ski star Mikaela Shiffrin will leave the Beijing Olympics without a medal, but Johannes Strolz won his third as Austria beat Germany in the mixed team parallel final on Sunday in Yanqing. Strolz, winner of the men’s alpine combined and silver medallist in the slalom, was part of a winning Austrian quartet that also included Katharina Liensberger, Katharina Truppe and Stefan Brennsteiner. It caps a remarkable comeback for Strolz, who went back to traffic police duties and even trained... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167719/winter-olympics-mikaela-shiffrin-ends-beijing-campaign-without-medal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167719/winter-olympics-mikaela-shiffrin-ends-beijing-campaign-without-medal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 05:08:08 +0000 The Shougang Big Air ski jump, built on the site of a decommissioned steel mill, has been the most talked-about venue of the Winter Olympics. While there’s been praise, it has also been criticised as dystopian and dreary. Beijing hopes not to add white elephant to that list as well. To keep the structure viable after the closing ceremony on Sunday evening, China plans to use it to train the next generation of Winter Olympic athletes, many of whom might have been inspired by watching Team China... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167713/winter-olympics-china-turn-steel-mill-ski-jump-giant-water-slide-hosts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167713/winter-olympics-china-turn-steel-mill-ski-jump-giant-water-slide-hosts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 04:15:21 +0000 The success of freestyle skier Eileen Gu at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics has generated heated debate in some circles on the issue of athletes who have abandoned the country they were born and raised in to represent another. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) may tout the Games as a celebration of sportsmanship and unity, but some spectators have taken it as an all-or-nothing contest between nations. For athletes representing China such as Gu and figure skater Zhu Yi, both... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167702/winter-olympics-why-has-eileen-gus-chineseness-sparked-raging-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3167702/winter-olympics-why-has-eileen-gus-chineseness-sparked-raging-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 00:15:09 +0000