A month later, on the second weekend of the competition, held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, the Chinese team ultimately secured one silver and three bronze medals.

Gao acknowledged that younger speed skaters are emerging, alleviating a lot of the pressure on his shoulders.

"It doesn't feel like I'm fighting alone, as it did before. Chinese speed skating is getting better and better," Gao remarked.

At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Ning, as an Olympic debutant, finished seventh in the men's 1,500 meters and fifth in the 1,000 meters. Having endured the challenges of the Olympics, Ning stated that his biggest takeaway from the Games was a more stable mindset.

With podium finishes becoming the norm over the past couple of years, Ning has learned to keep these achievements in perspective. "Frequently being on the podium might not be a good thing (in terms of becoming complacent). I hope to continue maturing and growing," Ning said.

Contact the writer at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn