Photo: Courtesy of the organzing committee

TheMK sports Chinese national short track speed skating team took to the ice rink on Thursday in preparation for the ISU Short Track World Tour Beijing which kicks off on Saturday at the Capital Indoor Arena.

Having won 12 Olympic gold medals, the Chinese short track team was the biggest contributor among China's winter sports teams to the gold medal tally, but currently it is having a mediocre season. 

During the previous two World Tour events this season, they only earned one silver and two bronze medals. 

China's head coach Zhang Jing acknowledged the team's underperformance in the World Tour earlier, but expressed optimism. 

"The World Tour is tied to upcoming key events. I'm confident we'll improve," Zhang told reporters. 

"The new schedule is even more demanding than the previous world championships," Zhang said.

The World Tour competition now features a tighter schedule with ice-resurfacing time growing shorter under the upgraded format. 

The home squad boasts Olympic champions Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang, alongside rising stars like Li Wenlong and Sun Long. 

Liu Guanyi stepped up to compete at the Beijing event after delivering quality performances last season. 

On the women's side, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics gold medalist Fan Kexin is returning in this competition, bringing her rich race experience to complement young talents. 

Relay events are likely to take the center stage in Beijing, as traditionally the Chinese team puts team glory ahead of individual titles.

Having already claimed one silver and one bronze in the earlier stops, the Chinese skaters are confident in their preparations. 

"We've made adjustments and are ready to fight for the top spot," Sun told reporters on Thursday. 

"Everyone in the team is committed to preparing for this competition, especially the team events, as we have the strength to compete for gold and are striving toward that goal."

Shaoang addressed the lackluster performance of the team but vowed to do better in the upcoming World Tour events. 

"We were not very satisfied with the outcome of the previous two [World Tour] events," Liu Shaoang told reporters on Thursday.

Competing on home ice is likely to give the Chinese team a significant edge, sparing them from travel fatigue and offering familiarity with the venue. 

The only silver medal of China's three medals in the World Tour came from the men's 5,000 meters relay. 

In the women's squad, veteran Fan's return is seen as bringing experience and leadership to the women's squad, with emerging star Wang Ye hungry to make her mark. 

"I want to exceed my limits and inspire young kids to take up the sport," Wang said.   

Over 100 athletes from more than 20 countries and regions, including world-leading Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands, Canada's William Dandjinou and South Korea's Kim Gil-li, are expected to participate in the weekend event. 

The popularity of the sport in China is increasing in recent years thanks to the team's quality performance in international competitions. 

The naturalization of former high-profile international players like the Liu brothers has further fueled the trend.

The national team faces a packed competition schedule this season.

 The Asian Games will be held in February 2025 in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, followed by a home short track world championships scheduled in March 2025.

The Beijing race is part of the six World Tour events this season. 

Following the Beijing leg of the Tour, the series will travel to Seoul, South Korea next week, before having a nearly two-month-long hiatus until February 2025 in Tilburg, the Netherlands. 

After the race in the Netherlands, a Milan event will also run as the test event for the discipline at the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics.