China sports minister pledges to qualify for all 102 events at the Beijing Winter Olympics
Gou Zhongwen makes the pledge at the National People’s Congress in Beijing as the capital prepares to become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games
China’s sports minister has thrown down the gauntlet to its winter athletes – qualify for all 102 events at the next Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022.
Gou Zhongwen made the pledge at the National People’s Congress in Beijing. The capital will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games in the history of the Olympics.
China qualified for all 12 sports at the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea last month, but not all of the events. They failed to appear in the men’s biathlon and ski jumping and the women’s bobsleigh and skeleton.
There will be huge pressure on China to deliver medals at their home Winter Games. Photo: EPA
“We want to make a pledge here that China will participate in all 102 events at the next Winter Olympics in Beijing,” said the official.
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“This means our athletes have to qualify in every single event. We understand this is not going to be easy but we want to show our determination for a full presence in the Beijing Games.”
