Pioneering young lugers steering the right course

Although the Olympic podium remains out of reach for China's luge team, the nation's budding young riders are already aiming for more breakthroughs after proving their potential at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

"China is a latecomer to luge, and compared with the traditional powerhouses such as Germany and Austria, we have been involved in the sport for a very short time," said Chinese luge team captain Fan Duoyao.

"These strong teams have years of experience and boast elite athletes and coaching systems. Team China should be focused on working toward such standards.

"The future is full of challenges and uncertainties for our young team, but we will become stronger and stronger. All my teammates just need to believe in themselves and do their best."

The four young Chinese lugers competed in all four disciplines of the sport at Beijing 2022－doubles, team relay, and men's and women's singles. China's best result at the National Sliding Centre was a 12th-place finish.

Germany completed a clean sweep of luge gold medals with a thrilling triumph in the team relay, as legend Natalie Geisenberger picked up the sixth Olympic title of her career.

"The development of the Chinese luge team has just started. Germany is so strong because it has competed in luge since the sport's inclusion in the Winter Olympics. They have more than 60 years of history," said Wang Zhonglin, team leader of the Chinese luge squad.

"When we established the team in 2015, our athletes had zero background in the sport, and we have had limited time competing in Europe. And when we started to train, we could not start at the Olympic standard, as it was too advanced for us. We could only start from easier sections of the course and from there grew step by step."

All four members of China's Beijing 2022 luge team were plucked from other sports. Captain Fan was a cross-country skier, doubles luger Huang Yebo was a sprinter, and women's luger Wang Peixuan was a javelin thrower.

"We've been through a lot from 2015 until today. We've overcome a lot of challenges, everyone's worked hard and we hope we can keep improving and take China's luge to the world," said Fan, who last November became the first Chinese male athlete to race in the Luge World Cup.

"In the beginning I was scared because I'd never seen this sport in China before," Fan admitted.

"I even thought about giving up. But after about a year of training, I fell in love with this exhilarating sport. I felt the urge to challenge myself and conquer it.

"Although we started later, we're catching up. We are not only fighting for ourselves, we represent the nation at the Olympics and we are fighting for all the people who helped and supported us."

The 21-year-old Wang Peixuan is the first female Chinese luger to compete at the Olympics. Despite failing to reach the final run of the women's singles, Wang says Beijing 2022 has been an invaluable experience for her.

"I set a personal best in the third run. If I hadn't suffered fractures in my foot, I might have been able to achieve a better result," said Wang Peixuan, who broke her left foot in three places in a competition in December last year, sidelining her for two weeks.

"It still hurts when I walk or stand too long. In run two, I got hurt around curves 14 and 15. I was a little nervous because the Olympic Games are the biggest stage for winter sports. At the Olympics, when you are relaxed and calm, you can achieve better results.

"By the next Games, there will be new breakthroughs. The Chinese team will have improved a lot more by then."

Wang Peixuan showed her sporting talent at the age of 11, starting with the javelin at Shaanxi Sports School. Impressing with her overall athletic prowess, she was selected to the luge team, and won the women's singles title at the 2017 national luge championships. In 2020, she topped the podium again at China's 14th National Winter Games.

Wang Peixuan made sacrifices in order to qualify for Beijing 2022, only spending three days with her family last year. She says all the hard work was totally worth it.

"During our training last season at our Ankang training base, I noticed Peixuan's knee became badly swollen like a steam bun. I asked her what happened. She said it was OK and was probably just some fluid in the knee. But it was clear that it was painful for her to train," said team leader Wang Zhonglin.

"We sent her for a comprehensive medical checkup, and they found broken bone fragments inside her knee. She underwent surgery, but she insisted on returning to training shortly after."

The team leader said this was just one of a number of examples of the young squad's dedication.

"Our foreign coach, Wolfgang Heinrich Schadler, has been deeply impressed by the performances and spirit of the Chinese athletes. Wolfgang coached the American team for 24 years, the Russian team for four years and Team China for six years," said Wang Zhonglin.

"He acknowledges the diligence and perseverance of the young Chinese athletes. We are a great team."