Chinese speed skater Ning Zhongyan secured a historic bronze medal in the men's 1,000-meter event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on February 12, delivering China's third podium finish of the Games with a time of 1:07.34.
The 26-year-old athlete described his performance as "close to perfect," emphasizing his strong start: "In the first 600 meters, I really delivered my best form. Over the last 400 meters, my drop in speed was slightly beyond what I had planned. But I achieved my goal of earning a medal, which is a big boost to my confidence."
Ning praised the competition conditions at the Olympic venue, noting: "The ice today was very good and fast. Many Olympic athletes broke Olympic records here. This is my best result at low altitude."
Dutch coach Johan de Wit, who has trained Ning since 2023, celebrated the milestone: "I was amazed, he did a really good job." The medal marks a significant achievement for China's winter sports program ahead of the 2027 Asian Winter Games.
