(ECNS) -- The ice rink at the Qitaihe Sports Center in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has been fully booked through September as speed skating teams from Mongolia, Hungary and Australia arrive to train in the city known as the "City of Olympic Champions."
Known as the "City of Olympic Champions," Qitaihe has produced four short-track speed skating Olympic gold medalists — Yang Yang, Wang Meng, Sun Linlin and Fan Kexin — and developed a scientific training system that draws athletes from around the world.
The Queensland Speed Skating Association of Australia is holding its sixth short-track training camp in Qitaihe. Association President He Yi said families are willing to fly over 10 hours from the southern hemisphere for Qitaihe's advanced training methods.
Chinese-Australian skater He Zhenkun has lowered his personal best in the 500 meters from 1 minute, 15 seconds to 49.45 seconds after training in Qitaihe, earning an invitation to join Australia's national short-track team.
The city has invested nearly 100 million yuan (about $13.9 million) in its speed skating facilities, which now include three ice rinks, two venues and an athlete dormitory. It has also established a national-level short-track speed skating laboratory with Harbin Institute of Technology, focusing on data-driven training and injury prevention.
Qitaihe has signed training cooperation agreements with Russia, Mongolia, Australia and Greece. More than 6,000 athletes from 15 domestic and international teams train in the city each year, generating more than 6 million yuan in revenue. In 2025, the city hosted more than 130 skating events, contributing to growth in both tourism arrivals and spending.
(By Tang Yuxian)
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