Chinese athletes join Milan 2026 torch relay in Greece

Four Chinese athletes proudly participated in the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay in Greece on Thursday, highlighting international unity and Olympic spirit.

On Thursday, the Olympic torch relay continued its second day in Greece, with four Chinese athletes participating in the symbolic event near the iconic Rio-Antirrio Bridge close to Patras, Greece’s third-largest city.

The torch relay, which began in Ancient Olympia on Wednesday, is set to cover 2,200 kilometers across seven Greek provinces and 23 cities before the flame is handed over to the Italian organizers in Athens on December 4.

Representing China were gymnast Zhang Boheng, track and field athlete Chen Yujie, basketball player Wang Siyu, and trail runner Wu Yongbo. The group joined local torchbearers in carrying the Olympic flame close to the bridge connecting the Peloponnese Peninsula to mainland Greece.

“I feel incredibly proud to participate in this torch relay on behalf of Chinese athletes and the national gymnastics team. This is a great encouragement for me personally,” said Zhang Boheng.

“I hope all Chinese winter sports athletes can achieve great results. I want to see everyone fulfill their dreams, enjoy the games, and show their best in Milan,” said Wu Yongbo.

The torch relay follows the traditional ceremony held in Ancient Olympia, where the Olympic flame was ignited using the sun’s rays at the Temple of Hera. Despite weather disruptions that forced parts of the ceremony indoors this year, organizers emphasized that the Olympic symbolism and message of peace remain undiminished.

The flame, symbolizing peace and unity, continues its journey through Greece before heading to Italy, where preparations are in full swing for the 2026 Winter Games.

Several places in north China encountered heavy snowfall brought by cold air, which seriously impacted local traffic.

Blowing snow weather occurred at 10:00 on Thursday in Yiwu County, Hami City of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with gusts reaching force 10 that could reach 28 meters per second, severely impacting local transportation.

This also led to an accumulated snow of over 30 centimeters on some roads, with more than 90 vehicles trapped.

As soon as they knew the situation, local police rushed to the scene with snow removal tools, and helped vehicles to pass snowy stretches of road.

Intense snowfall also hit Hegang City of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province on Wednesday. In its urban area, the local authorities deployed staff and machinery to clear the snow right away to ensure travel safety and normal production.

“As soon as the snow started, we immediately dispatched staff and snowplows to clear the road so as to ensure residents’ travel. Then we removed the snow on the roads right away after the peak period,” said Lu Jing, deputy director of Dongshan District Urban Management Bureau.

Since Wednesday night, Jilin City of northeast China’s Jilin Province saw heavy snowfall as well, which caused disruption on railway transportation.

To cope with the situation, local railway department activated contingency plans by using snow blowers to clear the snow on tracks, and opening more counters for passengers to refund or change their tickets.

The railway service returned to normal at noon on Thursday when the snow basically stopped.