Next-gen stars speed into spotlight

Tested on the international stage over the 2022-23 season, China's next-gen short-track speedsters are gaining fast on the world's best but still need to level up their mental toughness to live up to their Olympic ambitions.

Following a season in which most of them made their World Cup debuts, the young skaters on head coach Zhang Jing's roster stole the show at last week's Chinese national championships.

Leading the surge was Sun Long, who beat a strong field that included Olympic champions Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang to win both the men's 500m and 1,500m titles on Saturday.