Speeding toward Olympic greatness

In 2007, at just 10 years old, Gao Tingyu first stepped onto the Speed Skating Oval at the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province. He was immediately impressed by the indoor international-standard 400-meter track.

Prior to this, Gao had only ever trained on outdoor rinks in his hometown of Yichun, where tracks were typically only 100 to 200 meters long. In winter, they would skate on a track etched into a coal slag-covered field that had frozen over.

Over the years, the Harbin ice rink became pivotal for Gao's training, and a regular competition venue. As Gao watched the rink undergo continuous upgrades, he also enjoyed his rise to Olympic champion status.

Now, after returning to the venue for the Asian Winter Games, Gao expressed a renewed appreciation for the facility. "The improvements to the venue, including temperature, humidity, and ice quality, are remarkable," he said. "It's been transformed into a world-class facility."