CARVING OUT A DIFFERENT PATH

With a disarming smile and explosive speed on the ice, Liu Shaoang is preparing to glide into the spotlight once again — but this time, under a new flag. The 27-year-old short-track speed skating sensation, born in Budapest and once a golden boy for Hungary, is now writing the next chapter of his career with China.

With the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics fast approaching, for Liu it's not just another Games cycle, but his most meaningful — his first Olympics representing the country of his heritage.

That sense of belonging runs deep. Born in Budapest in 1998 to a Chinese father and a Hungarian mother, Liu Shaoang and his older brother Liu Shaolin grew up immersed in both cultures.

They spoke Chinese at home, celebrated Chinese New Year, and found their identity not in flags, but on frozen tracks. "What drew me to short-track was the speed," Liu Shaoang says. "That feeling of flying, and the tactics involved — it was all so exciting."

What began as a childhood hobby soon became a calling. "Our parents never imagined we'd become professional athletes," he recalls. "But, growing up with my brother Shaolin, training together, competing together, winning together — he gave me so much motivation. With him around, I always felt reassured and driven."

Liu Shaoang vividly remembers his first competition. His mother accompanied him. As the wins started accumulating, by the time he was 15 or 16, the road toward becoming a professional athlete had become clear.

"I know I haven't reached my top speed yet," Liu Shaoang said, reflecting on the season past, adding that he hopes to perform at his best next season in the run-up to the Olympics.

The past season was a test of both talent and tenacity. At the 2025 ISU World Short-Track Speed Skating Championships in Beijing, his campaign was a dramatic blend of triumph and adversity.

He helped secure a bronze in the men's 1,500m and a silver in the 5,000m relay for Team China, but the path there was anything but smooth. A crash during the relay semifinals left him injured and getting stitches with less than a day before his next race.

"I told the doctor to sew it tight," Liu Shaoang recalled. "I had another race the next day."

Six stitches on his knee couldn't keep him off the ice. Despite warnings from medical staff, Liu Shaoang insisted on competing in the 1,000m hours later. He fell in the quarterfinals, sliding off the track and out of contention — but his spirit remained unbroken.

In the final event, the men's 5,000m relay, he returned once more, leading his team alongside Sun Long, Li Wenlong and Liu Guanyi to a hard-fought silver medal.

"This race mattered, but more than anything, I was scared," said teammate Sun. "We were all afraid he'd get another injury, but he insisted on skating. He really gave everything."

For Liu Shaoang, the decision to push through the pain wasn't just about personal pride. It was about his team.

"His goal was always the relay," said Zhang Jing, head coach of China's short-track team. "He skated not for himself, but for everyone else on that team. That kind of spirit — it moved us all."

Even more than the medal, it was Liu Shaoang's resilience that left the deepest impression.

"After the race, I asked if it hurt," Zhang continued. "He said he had forgotten the pain. He was just focused on finishing. That's what this sport is about — not just speed, but sacrifice."

Liu Shaoang is no stranger to gold. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, he helped Hungary claim the country's first Winter Games gold in 5,000m relay. In 2022, he became the first athlete of Chinese descent to win an individual Winter Olympic gold for Hungary, taking the men's 500m title in Beijing.

That same year, he swept the World Championships in Montreal, Canada, with four victories — in the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m, and topping the overall standings.

A new start

But now, as he skates toward Milan, it's no longer just about medals. It's about identity, legacy and a new beginning.

"He's already climbed a mountain," said Zhang. "What he overcame this year can't be measured in medals. He conquered himself. That's the real victory."

The season's physical toll wasn't the only burden Liu Shaoang had to shoulder. Competing under a new flag, pushing through injury, and striving to prove himself again took more than physical resilience — it demanded emotional grit.

"Right before a race, I focus completely on what's coming — my strategy, the pace, the speed and the corners I'm about to hit," he says. "But, once I'm off the ice, I'm in a completely different state of mind."

Like many high-level athletes, Liu Shaoang has faced anxiety and emotional lows. "Whether you're an athlete or not, everyone deals with pressure and struggles," he says honestly. "The lucky part for me is having a brother I can trust."

When he's feeling down or overwhelmed, Liu Shaoang always turns first to his brother. If that doesn't help, he'll go to his coach. If the coach can't resolve it, he seeks out the team psychologist. And when even words fail, he turns inward — through meditation.

"Meditation is a conversation with myself," Liu Shaoang explains. "It's how I help myself heal."

Now a pillar of the Chinese national short-track team, Liu Shaoang is more than a competitor — he's become a mentor. With a positive mindset and a relentless drive to improve, he hopes to lead by example, both on and off the ice.

"Even after I retire one day, I hope I can still help the team win championships," he says.

He encourages younger teammates to lean on him, whether they're struggling in training or dealing with race-day nerves. "Every sport is the same — just being the fastest, the strongest, or the most talented doesn't always guarantee a win. What matters is that we win or lose together, support each other always," he says.

For Liu Shaoang, the strength of China's short-track speed skating team lies in its unity.

"Before every competition, we all sit down together, watch past races on video. Everyone shares their thoughts. Everyone learns. That's really important — because if you want to get better, if you want to be the best, if you want to win championships, that's what it takes."

"Believe in the team. Believe in your teammates. We all want the same thing — we're all pushing in the same direction. We all want to be champions."