Whatever the weather, China is warming to winter pursuits
National Fitness Day celebrations highlight rise in popularity of ice and snow activities
On a warm summer day, dozens of children wait anxiously with their skates on the sidelines of a Beijing ice rink as a truck smooths out its surface. Cleanup completed, the youngsters then eagerly swarm back onto their frozen playground.
Like many fitness facilities in the capital, Shijingshan Ice and Snow Sports Center is packed with children enjoying winter sports, no matter what the weather.
The scene was also a fitting vignette on China’s 11th National Fitness Day on Thursday, showing the legacy of the 2008 Olympics lives on strong as the nation prepares to stage the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Across the country, more and more people of all age groups are catching the fitness bug.
Barely 5 years old, Wang Ruofei was taking his first glide on the ice. “He is so excited to go on the ice, and it is cool here, a break from the summer heat,” said his mother.
Wang’s six-day training costs 680 yuan (about $100), though his helmets and protective gear cost far more.
At another rink in the complex, trainees are playing ice hockey with the help of Russian coach Evgeny Safronov as part of a 20-day program.
“Some parents still worry that this sport is too hard and taxing, but without powerful training, there is no improvement. Many Chinese parents have come to realize this,” said Safronov.
Seven-year-old Jiajia trained with Safronov for an hour, much to his mother’s approval.
“Playing ice hockey fosters strong will and teaches him to honor team spirit,” she said.
“Training and playing with the Russian boys is also a good opportunity for exchange.”
Venue operation manager Xu Yilian said when the rink opened in 2017, less than 30 people came every day, but now there is a huge public demand for winter sports. “About 200 people come to train on the rinks every day,” Xu said.
Ski simulator facilities are also extremely popular, she added.
Shijingshan in west Beijing, where the organizing committee for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics is based, has witnessed a boom in winter sports participation.
The district will host the Big Air snowboarding events during the Games, with the venue currently under construction.
In preparation for the Olympics, China has set a target of involving 300 million people in winter sports.
In addition, the government launched its ‘Healthy China’ action plan in July, aimed at promoting fitness through 2030.
The initiative advises people to engage in 30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week, and recommends walking 6,000 to 10,000 steps a day. It also says fitness facilities should ideally be located within a 15-minute walk of residents.
The plan envisages that, by 2030, about 90 percent of the school sports venues will be open to the public, and per capita sports space will reach 2.3 square meters.
The blueprint also covers areas such as health services, environment management, the medical industry, and food and drug safety.