President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with ice hockey and skating fans at Wukesong Sports Center in Beijing, Feb 24, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

February 2017, Beijing Wukesong Sports Center and the Capital Gymnasium

President Xi Jinping visited Beijing Wukesong Sports Center and the Capital Gymnasium on Feb 24, 2017. At Wukesong Sports Center, venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics ice hockey event, Xi remembered his first time on the ice in skating boots when he saw a group of young ice hockey players. He said the kids nowadays are "very fortunate" as they enjoyed high-standard facilities.

Xi also visited national team athletes at the Capital Gymnasium, venue for short-track speed skating and figure skating. When he met with Wu Dajing, winner of the 500m short-track speed skating in the recently held Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Xi said he watched the finals and cheered for Wu.

The president encouraged athletes to secure their advantages in ice-sports and catch up in snow-sports as the latter remains a weakness of the country. Xi also reminded the athletes to strike a balance between training and study, alternate training and rest, and train safely.

Youths sports and winter sports are the two priorities of Chinese sports development, the president stressed.