Harbin hailed as Games begin

With competitions running smoothly and the opening show taking the world's breath away, Harbin 2025 has set a high benchmark for efficient event organization, as the 9th Asian Winter Games officially got underway.

Hosting a record number of 1,275 athletes from 34 countries and regions, the Heilongjiang provincial capital has pulled off an almost impossible mission by delivering the biggest-scale Winter Asiad in history on short notice, helping to reshape the landscape of ice and snow sports in Asia.

The fact that the Ice City, as Harbin is known to tourists worldwide, was given less than two years to prepare for the Games since being confirmed as host in July 2023, and still got it done on schedule and in compliance with international standards has won acclaim from across Asia.

"Harbin did a great job after taking the Games on less than two years ago," Husain Al Musallam, director-general of the Olympic Council of Asia, said during a media briefing on Thursday, the eve of the Games' opening ceremony.

"They prepared the city, they prepared the facilities and all the requirements in a very short time and in a very professional way."

Usually, host cities have at least five years to prepare for hosting a multi-sports event with a scale like the Winter Asiad.

Al Musallam applauded the efficiency and professionalism of Harbin's organizers for ensuring a level playing field for all of Asia's winter sports talent — world champions and ambitious debutants, alike — upon which to compete and unite with one another.

"We are pleased that winter sports have become very popular in Asia, from west to east and from north to south. Now, an even greater number of youths have engaged with winter sports," said Al Musallam, whose partnership with Chinese organizers dates back to the 1980s, when Beijing was preparing to stage the 1990 Asian Games.

"The Harbin Asian Winter Games will build a platform to help prepare Asian athletes to perform and compete to a high standard at the next Winter Olympics in Italy, Milano-Cortina 2026."

Since its first edition in 1986, the Winter Asiad has been held three times in China, with Harbin performing an encore following its hosting of the 1996 edition.

Changchun, in Jilin province, hosted the 6th edition in 2007.

To promote sustainability while preparing for the Games in the most efficient way, Harbin chose to stage all the 64 medal events of the Games at existing venues — five for ice sports in downtown Harbin, and another eight for snow sports events in Yabuli, a ski resort cluster located 200 kilometers to the southeast — and has taken advantage of the country's rich experience and expertise in organizing massive multi-sport events to make sure that Harbin 2025 will attain the highest standards.

According to the organizing committee, the majority of the 685 National Technical Officials (NTO) deployed in Harbin have experience from serving at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

The high quality of venue conditions, and the host's warm hospitality, have earned very positive feedback from participating athletes and officials.

Asian Skating Union President Chang Myong-hi, an esteemed sports official of the Republic of Korea, was left in awe of the standards of the Games' facilities after a visit to the Speed Skating Oval at the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center.

"I have devoted more than 60 years to ice skating. I participated in 12 Olympic Winter Games, and eight Asian Winter Games," the 93-year-old told Xinhua.

"I was here in 1996 when the Asian Winter Games was held in Harbin (for the first time). Looking at the facilities, I'm sure this is one of the finest in the world," Chang said of the oval, which was built for those Games, and has been refurbished to once again host this Asiad's speed skating competition.

An hour's train ride away from Harbin's downtown, the mountain slopes at the Yabuli resort, despite the freezing winter cold, also have athletes stoked about the competitions to come.

Muhammad Shabbir, the only Pakistani athlete to compete in cross-country skiing at Harbin 2025, said he expected his debut at the continental gala to be a memorable one.

"This is my first time competing in China, and my first time at a large-scale international competition and I feel great," he said.

"The tracks, with the snowy mountains in the background, are amazing.

"It's really cold here, but all the athletes, including myself, are showing great enthusiasm. I hope to perform well and finish as high as possible."

To help guarantee a safe experience for all participants, especially those involved in risky alpine events, the organizers have deployed over 600 medical personnel, including first-aid professionals who can ski and speak English, at all the venues.

Treatment and medical services have been prepared at 31 designated hospitals across the city.

"I have found all the preparations for the athletes, as well as spectators, have been carried out to the highest standards. I trust the healthcare system in the city to ensure every participant is in safe hands," said Dr Sultan Al Busaidi, chair of the OCA's medical committee.

"In terms of anti-doping, the China Anti-Doping Agency and International Testing Agency have prepared all the formalities."

Contact the writer at sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn