Xizang's winter sports star sets eyes on Olympics

LHASA — A new generation in the Xizang autonomous region is pursuing dreams across uncharted frontiers. One such trailblazer is 18-year-old Cidan Yuzhen, a rising star of ski mountaineering.

Born in 2006 in Luntse county, Lhokha city, she grew up in a family of farmers and herders. Her grandfather, once a serf in Chanang county, gained freedom after Xizang's democratic reform in 1959, and rebuilt his life in Luntse.

By the age of 7, Cidan Yuzhen was herding sheep and harvesting highland barley. On snow-draped grasslands over 3,800 meters above sea level, she traversed mountains, often scaling two peaks each day to graze livestock — unwittingly laying the foundation for her athletic future.

In 2016, she was selected for an amateur sports school in Lhokha, one of two from her elementary school. Though her parents questioned her path, she persevered. "I just wanted to try something new," she says.

Cidan Yuzhen began as a race walker, but her trajectory shifted when Xizang began prioritizing winter sports ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Her exceptional fitness earned her a spot on the national ski mountaineering team in 2020.

Ski mountaineering — a blend of alpine climbing and skiing — makes its debut at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Despite growing up surrounded by snow, skiing was entirely new to her.

"The first time I watched a race video, I thought, 'Wow, this is amazing!' But I had no idea how to even ski," she says.

Early training brought endless falls, but her high-altitude endurance proved an asset, allowing her to rival male athletes on climbs. She embraced the adrenaline: overtaking rivals on ascents and speeding downhill. To hone her skills, she trained with men's teams, enduring grueling drills that accelerated her growth.

In 2023, Cidan Yuzhen dominated the U18 individual cross-country and vertical races at the Ski Mountaineering Youth World Cup, adding two world championship golds that year. In 2025, she made history as the first Asian Winter Games ski mountaineering champion, winning the women's sprint.

"She's only 18," says Jordi Canals Fontan, secretary-general of the International Ski Mountaineering Federation. "Most athletes peak after 25, but she's already dominating the youth division."

Medals from global competitions adorn her home, yet Cidan Yuzhen still has her eyes on the prize. Having recently competed at the Ski Mountaineering ISMF Youth World Cup in France, she is looking toward her ultimate goal: a place on the Olympic podium.

Xinhua