China snowboarders pick 2 medals
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 20, 2017
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Chinese skater Wu Dajing carries the national flag during the opening ceremony of the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, northern Japan, yesterday. |
Chinese snowboarder Zang Ruxin won a silver medal as the eighth Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan, officially got underway yesterday.
Zang and her teammate Gong Naiying took the second and third places, respectively, in the women's snowboard giant slalom event, pocketing two medals for China on the first day of the Games.
"I feel proud and honored," said Zang.
China's giant slalom team is making its first Winter Asiad appearance in Sapporo. Although the giant slalom is a relatively new sport in China, the country has been making steady progress and catching up with other countries, according to Zang.
Both Zang and Gong thanked their Slovanian coach Peter Kotnik for their huge progress in recent years.
The Chinese men's curling team beat Chinese Taipei 7-3 for its second victory in as many games.
Tied at 2-2 in the fifth end, China managed its hammer well after the mid-game break, taking one point each in the sixth and seventh to go 4-2 up.
Chinese Taipei earned a point in the eighth, but China sealed the victory after scoring three points in the ninth and forcing its opponents to give up the last end. "We didn't play well at the beginning, so the competition became intense. Actually, we planned to score two points in the ninth, but Chinese Taipei made mistakes, so we scored three," said Xu Xiaoming, the vice-skipper for China.
"We kept calm and we eventually won the match," he said.
With the Winter Olympics just a year away in South Korea, the continent's leading winter athletes will use the games to fine tune for Pyeongchang 2018.
"These games will show the potential of Asia to the world," Katsuhiro Akimoto, head of Sapporo's organizing committee, said. "We have great expectations for the spectacular athletic performances of over 2,000 athletes."
Among the dignitaries at Sapporo Dome were Crown Prince Naruhito, IOC vice president John Coates and Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah. The games run through February 26 and will feature more than 2,000 athletes from 31 countries competing in five sports, 11 disciplines and 64 events.
China has sent a 236-member delegation including 157 athletes to the Games. The Chinese athletes will compete in all the 64 events. Short track speed skater Wu Dajing carried China's national flag at the opening ceremony.
Australia and New Zealand are making their first appearance at the Games after accepting an invitation from the Olympic Council of Asia.
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