Chinese speed skater Ning Zhongyan has rewritten Olympic history at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, claiming gold in the men's 1500-meter event with a world-record time of 1:41.98. The 26-year-old athlete from the Chinese mainland added two bronze medals in the 1000-meter individual and team pursuit events, marking China's most successful Winter Olympics speed skating campaign to date.
In an exclusive interview, Ning revealed his initial disbelief at defeating pre-race favorite Jordan Stolz (1:42.75) and defending champion Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands (1:42.82): "I never thought I could get the Olympic gold medal." The victory represents a dramatic turnaround from his seventh-place finish at Beijing 2022, which he credits as motivation for his current success.
As flag bearer for China's delegation, Ning described the honor as "a motivation, not pressure," emphasizing his gratitude for national support. With the World Speed Skating Championships approaching on March 5, the athlete has already shifted focus to new challenges.
Ning's achievements signal broader progress for Chinese winter sports. "Between Beijing 2022 and Milan 2026, our team settled down and steadily improved," he noted. "Now we compete with the world's best—that's our biggest achievement this cycle."
As fans worldwide celebrate this breakthrough, Ning remains characteristically forward-looking: "Our team's Milan performance shows our potential. I believe we'll continue to surprise the world."
