"The Olympic spirit, in my view, is to move forward bravely and never give up. It encourages me to develop the habit of persistence and be my own champion," said Guo Dandan, China's first world champion skier, in a recent interview with China.org.cn. 

Since her retirement in 2001, Guo has spent years popularizing ice and snow sports. Now, as a member of the promotional team for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, she is translating the Olympic spirit into practice and spreading the joy of winter sports in China.

In 1997, 17-year-old Guo won the gold medal in freestyle skiing aerials at the Australian Station of the World Cup Freestyle Skiing Series, becoming China's first world champion skier. 

At the time, no one expected a Chinese national could win the competition. In fact, her success was so unprecedented that Guo had to wait while organizers sourced a national flag of China from the nearest consulate, as well as a band who could perform China's national anthem during the award ceremony.

Nevertheless, the incident proved to Guo that China's winter sports industry had a long way to go. 

The following year, Guo was regarded as an Olympic hopeful in the freestyle skiing events during the 1998 Nagano Olympic Winter Games. Unfortunately, she suffered a serious injury during a test event before the official race kicked off. Much to everyone's surprise, however, she endured the pain and finished the competition, earning worldwide respect in the process. After the event concluded, she was told that the ligaments in both her feet were ruptured and her ankle was fractured.

In 2001, with a heavy heart, Guo regretfully retired. However, her saga with ice and snow sports certainly did not come to an end.

In the winter of 2002, Shan Zhaojian, China's first national ski champion and Guo's ski teacher, invited her to a resort in Chongli, Hebei province to be a ski instructor and ambassador for the sport. "If not we, who? If not now, snow sports might develop very slowly in China," Guo still remembers her teacher telling her. 

Since then, Guo has thrown herself into promoting the sport she so loves. She's visited various communities, schools, and institutions across the country, helping others discover their passion for winter sports. What's more, she's also assisted efforts to organize ski competitions. 

In 2020, Guo contributed funds to the construction of an ice rink in Sanhe, a county-level city in Hebei province, which has since provided children at more than 90 primary schools with the opportunity to experience ice sports. Likewise, she has become even busier over the past year as a member of the promotional team for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. 

From athlete to promoter, Guo has witnessed firsthand the rapid development of China's winter sports industry over the past two decades.

"When I was an athlete, there was no systematic training program. Very few Chinese athletes could always perform their best and win the world games. But now, an increasing number of skiers in China grabbed gold medals," she explained, noting that it suggests greater support has been given to ski sports, with more up-to-date facilities and professional teams composed of high-level coaches and rehabilitation specialists.

"The training of Chinese athletes is now systematic, and everything from technological support to medical services has kept up with the world's top level."

Speaking of the public's appreciation for winter sports, Guo said that there were only a dozen ski enthusiasts when she first started promoting ice and snow sports. "But now, ice and snow sports have become fashionable and popular activities."

And in no uncertain terms, winter sports have developed as the country itself grows stronger. "From a few ski enthusiasts to hosting the Winter Olympics, the change shows that China's overall national strength has improved by leaps and bounds," she said.

"The realization of the ambition to engage 300 million Chinese people in winter sports is closely linked to China's economic strength. If the people can't even meet their fundamental needs of life, will they participate in such sports that used to be seen as an unaffordable pastime? China has now delivered on its promises to get more than 300 million Chinese people on skis and skates, which, in a sense, demonstrates that we have achieved a well-off life and the overall living standard has been improved."

Guo is very optimistic about China's post-Winter Olympics era. "The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics ignited the Chinese people's enthusiasm for ice and snow activities, and it will become a new start for the development of winter sports in China."

"I will continue to promote ice and snow sports in a down-to-earth manner," said Guo, who regards skiing as her calling.

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