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Paul McNamara

It was Su Yiming, on a 22nd birthday he will never forget, who ended China’s anxious 12-day wait for Winter Olympics gold in Italy.
“I told myself only gold would allow our anthem to be played,” Su said.
“In an international competition like this, letting the world hear China’s anthem means everything.”
By the time Milano Cortina passed the Games torch across the border to the French Alps on Sunday, March of the Volunteers had been beamed into living rooms around the world a further four times.
Halfpipe glory for the irrepressible Eileen Gu on Sunday completed a five-gold haul that matched China’s previous highest tally from an overseas Winter Games, in Vancouver in 2010.
They won 11 medals 16 years ago; the 15 China accumulated this time matched the total they managed on home soil in Beijing four years ago, and placed them 12th in the medal table, two positions behind Japan and one ahead of South Korea, the first and third best performing Asian nations, respectively.

For Hong Kong, whose four-strong delegation was dwarfed by the 126 mainland competitors, Joey Lam Ching-yan’s seventh in the women’s 1,500m short-track speedskating represented the city’s historically best finish.
More good news arrived for China with Gu’s confirmation that she planned to be among the party that will try to raise the bar in four years.
“I’m not retiring. I’m 22,” she said.
Gu took umbrage when asked by a reporter whether it was “two silvers gained or two golds lost” after she finished second in her opening two events.
“The two medals lost situation … I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take,” she said.
Nonetheless, it is hard to believe that such an arch-competitor would have left Italy without a tinge of regret had she not added another gold to the two she won four years ago.
“The power of sport is unparalleled, because it is evidence over affirmation,” Gu said following her triumph.

“You don’t tell yourself: oh, I can handle the pressure, oh, I’m so great. You do it time and again. Sports are really honest, because you can’t lie to yourself.”
As an athlete who has claimed six medals from six events over two Games, Gu said “it was important to use this platform [to] let the world see what we’re capable of, and respect Chinese freestyle skiing”.
Given the identity of the competitor she beat to gold – compatriot and fellow 22-year-old Li Fanghui, who said she had sacrificed “my health and time with my family” for her silver – that respect was conclusively earned.
From a broader perspective, Tong Lixin, the deputy head of the Chinese delegation, acknowledged the country was still playing catch-up in winter pursuits. “We must recognise that we will lag behind the world’s winter sports powers,” he said.
Norway topped the medal table with 41, including 18 gold, ahead of the United States, who claimed 12 gold among their 33-medal haul.

For almost two weeks, edgy observers at home feared they would have to wait until the 2028 Summer Games to next see a Chinese athlete on top of an Olympic podium.
In Beijing four years earlier, the hosts had claimed three gold and three silver after one week.
One online commenter likened the daily transfer of pressure to the next competitor trying to break the Chinese duck to a game of pass the parcel.
The metaphorical music stopped with Su’s snowboard slopestyle gold, before the anthem he longed to hear filled the air.
Barely one hour later, an inspired Xu Mengtao, the oldest of China’s 2026 champions at 35, retained her freestyle skiing aerials crown.
Late to the party, China were beginning to revel. The following day, Ning Zhongyan, 26, became the first man from outside Europe or the US to win 1,500m speedskating gold since the inaugural Games in 1924.

“Ning kept his focus and took the lead in a sport long dominated by Western athletes, helping China break new ground in an event where we previously had little chance to compete for medals,” Tong said.
Wang Xindi, 30, then added the men’s freestyle skiing aerials title, becoming one half of the first husband-and-wife pair, along with Xu, to claim gold from the same event in the same Olympics.
The last word, fittingly, was left to Gu, whose golden finish made her the most decorated freestyle skier in Winter Olympics history.
An outlier in competing in three events, Gu said: “I’m not afraid to try. I take big risks, and for the last two Olympics, it’s worked out.
“But even if it hadn’t, I left nothing on the table. I know that looking back at this Olympics and the months that preceded it, there is quite literally nothing that I could have done more.”


Olympic results entrench China’s rise as a winter sports power

Meet US hockey player Jack Hughes, who scored the golden goal at the Winter Olympics

Winter Olympics: China enjoy best overseas medal haul, Eileen Gu looking ahead to next Games

Eileen Gu pays emotional tribute to grandmother after gold win, hopes she made ‘her proud’

Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games

Halfpipe glory for Eileen Gu completed a five-gold haul that matched China’s previous highest tally from an overseas Winter Games. Photo: AP

Su Yiming won the men’s snowboard slopestyle final at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Photo: Xinhua

Hong Kong’s Joey Lam finished seventh in the final of the women’s 1,500m short-track speedskating. Photo: Xinhua

Ning Zhongyan claimed 1,500m speedskating gold. Photo: Reuters

 The 15 medals matched the total China managed on home soil in Beijing four years ago. Photo: Xinhua

Eileen Gu pays emotional tribute to grandmother after gold win, hopes she made her proud

Gold medallist Eileen Gu hugs her mother Gu Yan after the awards ceremony for the freeski halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Eileen Gu of China holding her three medals from the Milano Cortina Olympics. Photo: Reuters

From left, silver medallist Li Fanghui, Eileen Gu and bronze medallist Zoe Atkin. Photo: EPA

Eileen Gu had her best score on her third run of the freeski halfpipe final. Photo: Reuters

Ning breaks West’s grip on 1,500m, says Games gold just the start for China speedskating

Gold medallist Ning Zhongyan Ning celebrates after winning the men’s 1,500m. Photo: Reuters

Ning Zhongyan made Olympic history in Milan. Photo: Xinhua

Sport

China

Hong Kong

The 22-year-old is the most decorated freestyle skier in Games history, while Hong Kong speed skater Joey Lam claimed city’s best finish


The 22-year-old is the most decorated freestyle skier in Games history, while Hong Kong speed skater Joey Lam claimed city’s best finish.


Eileen Gu

Winter Olympics: China enjoy best overseas medal haul, Eileen Gu looking ahead to next Games

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The 22-year-old is the most decorated freestyle skier in Games history, while Hong Kong speed skater Joey Lam claimed city’s best finish

The 22-year-old is the most decorated freestyle skier in Games history, while Hong Kong speed skater Joey Lam claimed city’s best finish