China's Wang Shiyue (right) and Liu Xinyu compete in the pairs ice dance free dance during the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating Qualifier 2025 in Beijing on September 21, 2025. Photo: VCG

China's figure skating team clinched a full set of Olympic berths for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games after a dramatic weekend of ISU Skate to Milano Olympic figure skating qualifier events in Beijing, earning spots in all four disciplines and thereby securing entry to the team competition.

Chinese ice dancers Wang Shiyue and Liu Xinyu delivered a near-flawless free dance to finish fifth in the segment and fourth overall on Sunday, securing China a coveted Olympic slot in ice dance. Their performance capped a remarkable comeback, as the duo had stepped away from competition following the 2024 National Winter Games before returning in 2025 with the sole aim of ensuring that China would not miss out in Milan.

"No one expected Wang and Liu, five years past their peak, to fight their way back and claim China's ticket in ice dance," veteran Beijing-based sports commentator Wang Dazhao told the Global Times on Sunday. "Nor could anyone have predicted that newcomers like women's singles skater Zhang Ruiyang and the pairs team of Zhang Jiaxuan and Huang Yihang, who had only stumbled into qualification after World Championships disappointments, would rise against such world-class rivals."

In pairs, long considered China's proudest discipline, the task of extending the nation's legacy fell to 18-year-old Zhang and her partner Huang. The duo, who placed fifth at 2024's World Junior Championships and only graduated to the senior ranks this season, held their nerve in Saturday's qualifying event. Scoring 191.52 points, they claimed victory and locked in China's Olympic berth.

"Since Sui Wenjing and Han Cong won Olympic gold in Beijing 2022 and soon announced their retirement, the question of who would carry the torch has loomed large," Wang said. Although Sui and Han announced a comeback earlier in 2025, their ongoing recovery from injuries left the Olympic qualification burden to the younger generation.

"Zhang and Huang are far from dominant at the senior level, and the pressure on them was immense," Wang added. Zhang, only 18, landed her triple twist and throw jumps with remarkable poise. Her tears after the program said everything about the weight she carried and the significance of this ticket.

The final decision on which pairs teams represent China at the Winter Olympics will come later. Still, Huang said after the event, "If we can make it to Milan, we will present the very best of ourselves with strong, creative programs."

The women's singles event, traditionally China's weakest, provided one of the weekend's most gripping storylines. 

The 16-year-old Zhang Ruiyang, who had entered the free skate ranked fourth, faced pressure from a pack of world-class competitors including Loena Hendrickx of Belgium and Russia's Adeliia Petrosian on Saturday. Despite early mistakes on two jumps, Zhang regained composure and grew stronger as her program unfolded, finishing with 179.76 points to secure the crucial fifth place and China's Olympic berth.

"I wasn't entirely satisfied with my performance today, but it is an honor to win this quota for China," Zhang said. "Every time I make a mistake, I think about how I should respond," she explained. "That way, when it happens in competition, it doesn't feel like the sky is falling."

Wang noted that the event marked Zhang's transformation into a senior-level contender. According to ISU rules, Olympic berths are awarded to the top five finishers in each discipline at this qualification event.  A team whose total points across all four disciplines over the past two seasons ranks it among the top 10 and whose athletes qualified for the Winter Olympics in at least three out of four individual disciplines will earn a spot in the team event at the Winter Olympics. 

With men's singles already secured the Olympic berth earlier in the season, China's weekend sweep means the country is virtually assured of competing in the Milan 2026 team competition.

"This qualification event truly boosted morale," Wang said. "Despite a home advantage, China faced the challenges of a generational transition in its strong events and slow progress in its weaker ones."

China Figure Skating Association President Ren Hongguo summed up the achievement, saying: "We fight for the Olympics."