*Oneyearafterthe2022WinterOlympics,ChinaisridingthewaveoftheGames"successtobecomeawintersportspoweraspeople"senthusiasmforwintersportsshowsnosignofabating.

*Thankstohigh-techfacilitiessuchasportableartificialicerinks,artificialintelligenceskiingsimulators,anddry-landrollerskitrainingmethods,wintersportshavealsoreachedChina"ssouthernprovinces,wheresnowandicearerarelyseen.

*InternationalOlympicCommitteePresidentThomasBachhailedtheimpressivelegacyofBeijing2022hassetthepathforthefuture.

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BEIJING,Feb.20(Xinhua)--ForLiJiahua,anavidskierintheeasternChinesecityofXuzhou,hittingtheskislopesinchillynorthernChinausedtobehismust-doactivityinthewinter.Butsinceanoutdoorskiresortopenedinhishometownlastyear,hecannowenjoydoingthiseveryweekendnearhisdoorstep.

"TheBeijingWinterOlympicsallowedeveryChinesetoknowmoreabouticeandsnowsports.Thelegacyisjustincredible.Regardlessofwheretheylive,moreandmoreChinesepeoplearetakingupwintersports,"Lisaid.

PeopleenjoyskatingattheNationalAquaticsCentre(the"IceCube")inBeijing,capitalofChina,Feb.4,2023.(Xinhua/RenChao)

Oneyearafterthe2022WinterOlympics,allBeijing2022venuesareusedforelite-levelsportandpublicfitness.ChinaisridingthewaveoftheGames"successtobecomeawintersportspower.

"TheOlympiccommunityinChinademonstratedournewOlympicmottoatitsbest:Faster,Higher,Stronger-Together,"InternationalOlympicCommittee(IOC)presidentThomasBachsaidinavideomessagefortheanniversarycelebrationoftheBeijing2022Games.

"TheimpressivelegacyoftheOlympicWinterGamesBeijing2022hassetthepathforthefuture,"Bachadded.

PeopleenjoyskatingattheNationalSpeedSkatingOvalinBeijing,capitalofChina,Jan.30,2023.(Xinhua/JuHuanzong)

ONASUSTAINABLEPATH

AttheNationalSpeedSkatingOval,knownastheIceRibbon,whichsawmultiplerecordsinspeedskatingatBeijing2022,11-year-oldZhangQianyurecentlywonayouthspeedskatingchampionshipandsignedhernameonawallofhonorinthefacility,justasrenownedOlympianshaddonelastyear.

"IwassoexcitedtoskateattheIceRibbonandclinchavictoryhere.Iamsoproudofmyself,"Zhangsaid.

AccordingtotheIceRibbon"soperationteam,nearly210,000visitshavebeenpaidtothevenuesinceitwasopenedtothepubliclastJuly,evidenceofChina"scommitmenttocontinueduseofall2022venues.

TheNationalAquaticsCenter,dubbedtheIceCubeduringBeijing2022,hasalsobeenusedforbothelite-levelsportandtourism.Withmorethan3,000visitorsondayoneofitsopening,itevenearneditselfanickname-"thehottestice"inBeijing.

AchildenjoysthesnowslideatBigAirShouganginBeijing,capitalofChina,Jan.31,2023.(Xinhua/JuHuanzong)

AtShougangPark,visitorscanjumpontoalargeinnertubetoslidedownthelanesoftheBigAirShougang,aniconicGamesvenueconvertedfromasteelmill.Itisnowusedasbothanoutdoorsportingresortandavibrantculturalhub.

TheGentingSnowParkinZhangjiakou,where20goldmedalswereupforgrabsduringtheGames,hasstageddozensofeventsduringthiswinterseason,includingprofessionalandamateurcompetitions,juniortrainingprogramsandskiingfestivals.

AlearnerpracticesonanindoorartificialskislopeinHaikou,capitalofsouthChina"sHainanProvince,Jan.15,2022.(Xinhua/ChenZiwei)

ALASTINGBOOM

ChristopheDubi,theIOC"sOlympicGamesExecutiveDirector,hailedthatthemostoutstandingfeatureofthe2022Gamesisthewaytheytouchedthelivesofmillionsoflocalpeoplebyhelpingthemdiscovertheworldofwintersports.

Oneyearon,Chinesepeople"senthusiasmforwintersportsshowsnosignofabating.TheninthPublicIceandSnowSeasonkickedoffacrossChinaattheendof2022,with1,500wintersportsactivitiesscheduledtotakeplacethroughApril2023.

PeoplehavefunatHarbinSonghuaRiverIceandSnowCarnivalinHarbin,northeastChina"sHeilongjiangProvince,Jan.22,2023.(Xinhua/WangJianwei)

InHarbin,northeastChina"sHeilongjiangProvince,peoplewereseenskatingandplayingicehockeyonthefrozenSonghuaRiver,eventhoughoutdoortemperaturesplummetedto20degreesbelowzero.

"Iceandsnowiseverywherehere,likeafairytaleworld,"said13-year-oldShenLeyingfromShanghai,whosignedupforasnowboardingtrainingcampinHeilongjiang.

Duringthisyear"sseven-daySpringFestivalholiday,bed-and-breakfastservicesnearBeidahuskiresortinthenortheasternChinesecityofJilinskyrocketed16timescomparedwiththenumberofordersin2019.

Thankstohigh-techfacilitiessuchasportableartificialicerinks,artificialintelligenceskiingsimulators,anddry-landrollerskitrainingmethods,wintersportshavealsoreachedChina"ssouthernprovinces,wheresnowandicearerarelyseen.

InsouthernGuangdongprovince,364athletesrepresentingeightcitiescompetedinicehockeyandfigureskatingcompetitionsforthefirsttimeattheProvincialGames.

Amushroominginterestinwintersportshasdirectlydrivenconsumptioninrelatedfields.Datafrome-commerceplatformJD.comshowsa114percentyear-on-yearincreaseintheturnoverofwintersports-relatedgoodsin2022.

Thenumberoficeandsnowequipmentmanufacturingbasesisalsosnowballing,ascitieslikeHarbinandJilinhaverolledoutpoliciestointroduceaseriesofequipmentmanufacturers.

AccordingtoarecentreportbytheBeijing2022OrganizingCommittee,themarketvalueofChina"swintersportsindustryisexpectedtosurpassonetrillionyuanin2025.

SkaterZhangQianyucompetesduringaspeedskatingcompetitionattheNationalSpeedSkatingOvalinBeijing,capitalofChina,Feb.4,2023.(Xinhua/ZhangChenlin)

TOWARDSAWINTERSPORTSPOWER

The2022WinterOlympicssawarecordhaulofbothgoldmedalsandoverallforChina.Withroughlythreeyearstogobeforethe2026WinterGamesinItaly,Chineseathleteshavebeguntohonetheirskills.

SpeedskaterNingZhongyanclaimedhisfirstWorldCupvictoryofthe2022-2023seasonlastNovember,winningthemen"s1,000minHeerenveen,theNetherlands.DespitefailingtomakethepodiumatBeijing2022,hehassethiseyesonthe2026Games."Givemesometime,luckisnotfarawayfromme,"hesaid.

MaQinghua,whoplacedtenthinthecross-countryskiingwomen"s4x5kmrelayatBeijing2022,trainedintheChangbaiMountainsforovertwomonthsduringthiswinterseason,whileQiGuangpu,whoclinchedthemen"saerialsgoldattheBeijingWinterGames,isalsolikelytobeupforhisfifthOlympicappearancein2026.

Eleven-month-oldgirlWangYujienjoyssnowboardingatThaiwooSkiResortinChongliDistrictofZhangjiakou,northChina"sHebeiProvinceonNov.18,2021.(Xinhua/ZhangFan)

Moreimportantly,millionsofyoungergenerationshavebeeninspiredbyskiprodigieslikeGuAilingandSuYiming.

"TheirsuccessattheBeijing2022Gameshaschangedtheperceptionofeducation,asmoreandmoreChinesefamiliesareencouragingtheirchildrentotakeupwintersportsataveryyoungage,insteadofseeingthesportonlyasaformofentertainment,"saidZhangGuihai,anexpertataniceandsnowindustryresearchinstituteinHeilongjiang.

Suhasrecentlyannouncedhisplantohelpnurtureyoungtalent."Ihaveappliedtoestablishapersonalpublicwelfarefund,hopingtohelpandguidemoreteenagerstoparticipateinsnowboardingandothersportsevents,"SuwroteonsocialmediaonSaturday,alsohis19thbirthday.

Bytheendof2025,5,000schoolsacrossChinaareexpectedtoincludewintersportsintheircurriculum,accordingtoagovernmentplan.

"SportsvenuesandinfrastructurearecertainlythetangiblelegaciesoftheGames,butthehumancapitalispossiblyanevenmoreimpactfulaftermath.EngagingandeducatingchildrenandyouthsabouttheOlympicGamesandOlympicvaluesgobeyondsport,"Dubisaid.

(Videoreporters:HeLeijing,YaoYouming,LiChunyu,XiaZilin,KongXiangxin,ZhangXiao;Videoeditors:YuJiaming,LuoHui,MuXuyao)