Chinese national short track team head coach Zhang Jing (center in red) gives a lecture to the athletes at a training session on January 29, 2026 in Beijing. Photo: Lu Wenao/GT

The Chinese national short track speed skating team is set to depart for Milan this Saturday, heading into the 2026 Winter Olympics with a clear mission to "win glory for the country," according to the team's vice chief on Thursday.

The team will send a full quota of 10 athletes to Milan, comprising five men and five women. The team will compete in all eligible events, with relay races identified as the primary gold-medal targets. 

"Our objective is very simple: to win glory for our country," Liu Hao, vice chief of the short track team, told the Global Times after an open training session of the team on Thursday. "We will strive to do our absolute best in every discipline."

The men's roster consists of Lin Xiaojun, Liu Shaoang, Sun Long, Zhang Bohao and Li Wenlong, which fans say possess medal prospects in individual events as well as relays. 

The women's team features veteran Fan Kexin alongside Gong Li, Zhang Chutong, Wang Xinran and Yang Jingru, all of whom are expected to focus on securing podium finishes.

"The athletes are feeling a mix of excitement, anticipation, and maybe just a tiny bit of nervousness," Liu Hao said of the mentality of the Chinese skaters. 

"The chance to go out and compete for the country, to represent the nation in an event like the Olympics, everyone's got really high expectations, no doubt about it. I think they're all fully prepared and ready to go."

Relays remain China's most competitive discipline in short track speed skating. In the men's events, Chinese skaters have shown the capability to challenge for gold in sprint distances, maintaining a tradition of competitiveness at the Olympic level.

However, replicating China's performance at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, where the team captured two gold, one silver and one bronze medals, will be a significant challenge. 

One of the key factors is the recent rise of Canada, led by star skater William Dandjinou, whose team has emerged as a dominant force in short track over the past two seasons.

The increased competitiveness of the field has raised the overall difficulty of the medal race in Milan, particularly in events where margins are often decided by hundredths of a second.

The Chinese team is scheduled to depart for Milan on Saturday, entering the final phase of Olympic preparations in Milan. The short track speed skating events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are scheduled from February 10 to February 20 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. 

The short track speed skating team remains the "ace in the hole" for the Chinese winter sports delegation, having historically contributed more than half of China's Winter Olympic gold medals. 

As the competition intensifies globally, with strong challenges from teams like Canada, the Netherlands, South Korea and other emerging countries, the team's performance is under intense scrutiny.

Liu Hao emphasized the fierce international landscape and the value of understanding opponents. 

"Current international competition is very intense. Short track speed skating has a lot of contingencies and unpredictability, which also requires athletes to have very strong strength. We have been competing so intensely for so many years, and the requirements for all athletes are clear: Give your all in every race, do your best, and focus on yourself. We will strive to do well in every event."