On the evening of February 15th local time, the lights were brightly lit in the Milan Ice Arena. In the figure skating pairs short program competition at the Milan Winter Olympics, the Beijing Winter Olympics champions and Chinese pairs skating team Sui Wenjing/Han Cong appeared in second place in the first group.
Accompanied by the familiar melody of "Carmen", the two stretched and slid on the ice. Except for a small turnover in the triple jump at the beginning, the twists, throws and other movements were all completed neatly.
The music stopped, applause broke out, and the two hugged each other tightly.
In the end, they scored 72.66 points, which was more than 7 points higher than the team competition 9 days ago. They entered the free skate ranked 6th.
"Today's short program may be our last one. Fortunately, we showed our best performance. We are really proud of each other." Sui Wenjing said after the game. Han Cong also said that this will be a beautiful program that will remain in his memory: "This is the last short program. I think it is good to last until here." This is their third time in the Winter Olympics figure skating pairs short program, and they attach great importance to this competition.
After reaching the highest podium at the Beijing Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong faded out of the competition. Last year at the China Cup, the two decided to make a comeback. After arriving in Milan for more than half a month, the two have always maintained high-intensity training. The pain caused by injuries is a difficulty they must face. When asked how to overcome physical discomfort, Sui Wenjing answered simply: "Don't think about it."
In order to recover, Sui Wenjing underwent acupuncture, but in the end she managed to get over it little by little by adjusting to rest and gritting her teeth. From the silver medal at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, to the gold medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics, and now competing at the Milan Winter Olympics, they are no longer at the peak of their physical function and competitive level, but they still choose to fight again. Han Cong said that what they hope more is to use their experiences to influence more young players and pass on the Chinese sports spirit and Olympic spirit.
Sui Wenjing/Han Cong will perform a set of "Only Green" with a strong Chinese style in the early morning of New Year's Day, Beijing time. This is their New Year's gift to themselves, and it is also the last free skate in the Winter Olympics. Sui Wenjing said: "I am very happy to bring it to the Olympic Games. I hope to show the Chinese sports spirit and Chinese culture to the world, so that more audiences can see the beauty of our traditional culture."
Sui Wenjing and Han Cong also sent New Year greetings through reporters: "I wish everyone a happy New Year, take the lead and succeed immediately."
(Guangming Daily, Milan, February 15)
"Guangming Daily" (Page 02, February 17, 2026)
