2018-2019 short track season recap: China

Here’s our 2018-2019 season recap for team China in short track speed skating.

By Jackob Savard

Photo: Martin Holtom

Team China, who will host the next winter Olympic games in 2022, had a calmer 2018-2019 season in short track as their veterans missed a good portion of the season.

Li Jinyu and Fan Kexin still on top

Just like last year, Li Jinyu and Fan Kexin led the Chinese national team on the women's side. In the World cup final ranking, 18-year-old Li Jinyu ended her season in 5th place of the 1500m while Fan Kexin took the 6th position on 500m even though she only skated in the first two World cup events. During the World championships in Bulgaria, Fan finished 7th overall while her teammate Zang Yize, who also had a good season finished 8th. We also saw some good things from skaters such as Guo Yihan, Han Yutong and Li Xuan during the season.

Good season for Ren Ziwei et Wu Dajing

Olympic champion and world record holder on 500m Wu Dajing only skated in the first two World cup events of the season and at the World championships, but was dominant. He won the three 500m in which he took part in and that was enough to end the season in 2nd place on the world classification. His young teammate Ren Ziwei stood out on 1000m ending the season in 4th place of the World cup ranking. At World championships, Wu finished 2nd on 500m and 5th overall while Ren finished 8th overall. Helped by their teammates Xu Hongzhi et Yang Shuai, they were also crowned vice-champion in the 5000m relay.

China also did well in the mix relay event finishing in 2nd place in 2018-2019.

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