8th Asian Winter Games concludes in Sapporo

The 8th Asian Winter Games concluded here on Sunday with the host country winning most gold medals, as always.

China took part in all the 64 events, snatching 12 gold, 14 silver and nine bronze medals to finish third in the medal tally.

Three-time host Japan top the games with 27 gold, 21 silver and 26 bronze medals, while South Korea was a distant second place on 16-18-16. Kazakhstan ranked fourth on 9-11-12.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea won its first medal in Sapporo on Saturday to become the only fifth country on the medal table.

South Korea's speed skater Lee Seung-hoon won the most gold medals at the Asiad, collecting the men's 5,000m, 10,000m, mass start and team pursuit titles at Obihiro Forest Speed Skating Rink, some 200 kilometers east of Sapporo.

South Korea delivered strong performances in speed skating and short track speed skating, while Japan dominated most snow events.

Gao Zhidan, the Chinese delegation chief, was surprised by the huge progress made by Japan and South Korea.

"Three East Asian countries have been developing winter sports for the past two decades," he said. "This Games shows Japan and South Korea are on a fast lane, way faster."

As the host of the 2022 Olympic Games, China is planning to expand its winter sports population to 300 million and turn to world-class foreign coaches for help.

The 8th Asiad is the largest-ever of its kind, attracting around 1,500 participants from 30 countries and regions.

Australia and New Zealand are making their first appearance at the Games after accepting an invitation from the Olympic Council of Asia. Since Oceania does not have a regional Winter Games, this is also the two countries' first time competing on snow and ice at a continental event.

Sapporo was the first Asian city to host the Winter Games and its 1972 Olympic legacy still lasts to this day.

Most of the Asian Games competitions, including Alpine skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, biathlon and ice hockey, were held on renovated 1972 venues, winning a nod from Olympic Council of Asian President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, who said Sapporo has all the facilities needed to bring the Winter Olympics back.

source: Xinhua