HARBIN, February 15th (AMSP/CGTN) – – Other than fierce competition on the ice and snow, athletes from 34 countries and regions have also made friends during the 9th Asian Winter Games, which is set to close on Friday in Harbin, capital city of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province.
Running from Feb 7 to 14, the Games marks China’s first major international ice and snow event since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the third time for China to host the Asian Winter Games, and the second time for Harbin.
Featuring a total of 64 events across 11 winter sports disciplines, including biathlon, curling, ice hockey, figure skating, short track speed skating, skiing, and ski mountaineering, the Games has gathered 1,275 competitors from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest ever edition of the Games in terms of overall participation.
“I think at Games like this, that’s when you can see how close all the countries are. Just like all the athletes from different countries, China, India, Japan, Korea, all of us in the same hotel. That’s when we actually make friends. And we know how close we are. We might seem different, but on a personal level, we are pretty much all the same. We might have different cultures, we come from different places, but we all are the same. We enjoy the same stuff. We speed skate. We’re similar in certain ways, and our differences are enjoyed as well. So I think we make such good friends and we get to know each other. So I think Games like this really help make friends all around the world,” said Indian speed skater Chandra Mouli Danda.
“So, we have a really good friendship within Central Asian countries like Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan. We were talking before, but we didn’t know really. Right now, we are talking and getting to know each other. It feels so great,” said Gulshat Rejepova, head of the Turkmen delegation at the Games.
“We have welcomed delegations from so many countries, which shows ice and snow sports are increasingly popular around here. This grand sports event brings athletes together to make friends and make progress together,” said freestyle skiing aerials Olympic champion Xu Mengtao, the flag bearer for the Chinese delegation at the closing ceremony of the Games.
Many participants said they had been deeply impressed by the advanced venues, facilities in Harbin, as well as the warm hospitality of the volunteers.
“At first, when we get into this building, we can notice that ‘Oh, this is a school before’, because we still have the chalk board, the white board and technology by the touch screen, the TV that is very big. And we think the drawing of the children is so cute, every room and on the hallway, so cute. Your government can turn school to be the arena like this. Because the curling ring is not easy to build. So it’s very, very good and unbelievable,” said Kanya Natchanarong, a Thai curler.
“If I need any help, some Chinese do not speak English, some Chinese speak English. Anybody who speaks English directly come to help you,” said Rashed Abdullah, an official of the Kuwaiti delegation.
“They are super supportive for us. They are so nice to us, even the Chinese people around. It’s the second time to visit China, but the first time to visit Harbin. It’s super nice. I really appreciate that. Thank you so much for this organization. Thank you,” said Qatari curler Sarah Hamoud Al-Qaet.
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