Grassroots gains

The arrival of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics has ignited the nation's passion for winter sports.

With just days to go before the start of the Games, people across China are taking part in Winter Olympics-themed activities and embracing ice and snow sports.

Typical of the festivities is the 8th National Public Ice and Snow Season, which began in December and will continue throughout the Winter Olympics and Paralympics until April.

Central China's Hubei province was the focus of the opening day's activities, with a winter sports carnival staged at Wuhan Mass Fitness Center, and an ice and snow arts festival taking place at Optics Valley International Tennis Center, also in Wuhan.

Meanwhile, in Hubei's Enshi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture, and Shennongjia Forestry District, activities like snow dragon boat racing and tug-of-war on snow have been big hits with the locals.

Among the participants was former Team China figure skating coach Fu Dong, who was enthused to see young people embrace winter sports.

"Now I just want to pass my skills and knowledge to the next generation. That's my small contribution to our nation's Winter Olympic sports growth," said Fu.

"Right now some of the children I coach are very talented. And now they also enjoy huge support from their parents."

Wuhan, the capital of Central China's hot and humid Hubei province, remarkably now boasts nine indoor ice rinks and three ski resorts-encouraging more and more people to get their skates on or hit the slopes.

"Winter sports are no longer rare in Wuhan, and they are increasingly the choice for people who are looking for a fitness activity," said Yan Fan, deputy director of the Wuhan Sports Bureau.

Local Tao Lingzhe, who, as the proud father of a budding young ice hockey player, has witnessed first-hand how winter sports have been growing rapidly in Wuhan.

"When my son first started to practice ice hockey, the number of ice rinks in Wuhan was so limited, and many of them were not very professional," said Tao.

"But now the development has really taken off, and more kids are enjoying ice hockey and other winter sports."