BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) — Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. Birthday boy Su Yiming wins men’s snowboard slopestyle for China’s first gold at Milan-Cortina
Su Yiming captured gold in the men’s snowboard slopestyle final at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on February 18, delivering China’s first gold medal of the Games.
The victory, secured on his 22nd birthday, made his Olympic triumph all the more memorable.
The title marks Su’s first major international slopestyle title. His previous best results in the event at the Winter Olympics and World Championships had been silver medals, including at Beijing 2022 and the 2025 World Championships.
2. China’s Ning upsets Stolz to win 1,500m speed skating gold at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics
China’s Ning Zhongyan upset title favorite Jordan Stolz of the United States to win the men’s 1,500m speed skating at the Olympic Winter Games on February 19.
Ning, who had already collected two bronzes in the men’s 1,000m and team pursuit, clocked an Olympic-record one minute 41.98 seconds to secure China’s first Olympic gold in the event and his third medal at these Games.
3. China names squad for Women’s Asian Cup
The Chinese Football Association named a 26-player squad on February 19 for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
Head coach Ante Milicic has selected defender Wang Ying and forward Yuan Cong, who both joined A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers last September.
Also in the squad are several players from European leagues, including forwards Wu Chengshu and Wang Yanwen from French side Dijon, and right-back Li Mengwen from Scotland’s Rangers.
Captain Wu Haiyan, who has been a leading figure in the national team for nearly a decade, is expected to partner Wang Linlin in central defense, with Li Mengwen and Chen Qiaozhu on the flanks.
The tournament will be Milicic’s first major competition as head coach of China’s women since his appointment in May 2024.
4. Chinese couple makes Milan-Cortina history with dual aerials golds
China celebrated a unique double at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on February 20 as Wang Xindi soared to gold in the men’s freestyle skiing aerials – two days after his wife Xu Mengtao had topped the women’s podium.
The victory made them a rare married couple to each win individual gold medals at these Games.
Wang, 30, delivered when it mattered most. Third to jump in the super final, he landed a near-flawless routine for 132.60 points.
Competing at his third Olympics, Wang had never finished higher than 14th in previous appearances at Beijing 2022 and PyeongChang 2018.
5. Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha headline 2026 Singapore Smash draw
The draw for the 2026 World Table Tennis Singapore Smash was held on February 20, with men’s top seed Wang Chuqin set to open against Australia’s Finn Luu, while women’s world No. 1 Sun Yingsha will begin her campaign against a qualifier.
Wang anchors a strong top half of the men’s singles draw that also includes Chinese compatriots Wen Ruibo, Lin Shidong and Zhou Qihao. International contenders in the same section include France’s Felix Lebrun, Anders Lind of Denmark and Japan’s Sora Matsushima.
In the women’s singles, Sun leads a top half that also includes six other Chinese players – Shi Xunyao, He Zhuojia, Kuai Man, Chen Xingtong, Qin Yuxuan and Chen Yi – as well as Japan’s Hina Hayata and Honoka Hashimoto.
The Singapore Smash, the first WTT Grand Smash tournament of the season, is being held from February 19 to March 1. ■
