中, the humiliation of 'no gold' in four years. "When the room party was over, the talent was cut off."" [Milan Olympics]

*This content was translated by AI.

China, which stood as a winter sports powerhouse with a record nine gold medals during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on its home turf, has lost face by never finishing atop the podium at the 2026 Milan-Cortina D'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.

Japan's Kyodo News highlighted China's No Gold humiliation on the 18th and analyzed that "China's manpower shortage and fostering system are revealing serious challenges." The media quoted the voice of a Chinese reporter who met in Milan and pointed out, "The biggest reason is that there has been no young athletes to continue this after the Olympics."

During the 2022 Beijing Games, China poured in all-round support, including investing huge amounts of money and recruiting a large number of naturalized players to maximize the benefits of its hosting. In the end, he won the most gold medals at the Winter Olympics in Chinese sports history with nine gold medals, four silver medals and two bronze medals. However, four years later, as the growth of newcomers who will continue the glory of the time stagnated, they have received a report card of "failure to replace the generation." Without a gold medal, only three silver and three bronze medals were won.

Even Gu Ai-ling (23, Eileen-gu), China's most anticipated "Princess on Snow," won silver medals in freestyle ski slopestyle and big air at the event. Analysts say that it was not enough to recreate the two-time champion's prowess in Beijing due to the aftermath of the injury and the rapid growth of the competitors. At least, he will aim for the gold medal in the halfpipe.

The slump did not stop even in short track, which is a traditional filial sport. In the mixed relay, Lin Xiaojun (30, Korean name Lim Hyo-jun) was pushed out of the medal table amid entry controversy, including the exclusion of him from the semifinals and finals, which led to strong criticism from Chinese fans.

What makes the Chinese even more painful is Japan's advancement. Japan is currently breaking the record for the most medals ever in the Winter Olympics, winning a total of 19 medals, including four gold medals.

According to reports, Chinese social media such as Weibo are posting comparisons, saying, "We have zero gold medals, but Japan is in a festive mood every day." There are also self-deprecating criticisms such as "Didn't Beijing use money to earn grades?" and "We need to rebuild our solid foundations."

Before the competition, China expected to win two to four gold medals, but when the lid was opened, the result was disastrous. The fact that the size of the team itself was only 126, down 50 from the last competition, clearly shows how rapidly the base of Chinese winter sports has shrunk.

A Chinese reporter interviewed by Kyodo News said, "It is true that interest and investment in winter events have cooled sharply since the Beijing Games," adding, "With the current fostering system, it is highly likely that we will struggle at the next Olympics, the French Games." The players have already become thinner," he expressed concern.

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*This content was translated by AI.