Homing in on glory

'Let the show begin'

Sharing the Capital Indoor Stadium with the short-track team at Beijing 2022, China's two-time world champion figure skating pair Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are also raring to finish a step higher on the podium.

The silver-medal winners from the Pyeongchang Games are now fine-tuning their routines at western Beijing's Shougang training base to improve their jump connections and artistic expression.

"Figure skating is a form of art, not just a sport, where there is always room for improvement. We are pushing for every bit of extra chemistry between us for a better performance every time we hit the ice," said Sui, who won back-to-back grands prix events with Han in Canada and Italy this season.

A world power in pairs since legendary couple Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo won the country's only Olympic gold in the discipline at the 2010 Vancouver Games, injuries hampered Sui and Han's 2018 campaign. They were pipped to gold in Pyeongchang by just 0.43 points behind Germany's Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot.

Now injury-free, the Chinese pair head into the Beijing Games in confident mood.

"Physically we've never been healthier, and technically we really like our routine difficulty. We just cannot wait to let the show begin," said Han, who spent over half a year recovering from hip surgery in April 2020 that left him with four steel screws in his body.

"The chance to compete at home Olympics does not come by easily," Sui added. "We will try to savor this opportunity of a lifetime as much as possible."