Zhang haihua

Winter Triathlon World Cup: More than 1,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions have registered to participate in the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, with the number of participating delegations and athletes expected to reach a record high.

As the 100-day countdown to the 9th Asian Winter Games begins on Wednesday, Zhang Haihua, deputy secretary-general of the organizing committee, announced at a news conference on Tuesday that 31% of the events will make their Asian Winter Games debuts in Harbin. Among them, three ski mountaineering events have been confirmed as new additions for the 2026 Winter Olympics, making the Harbin Games an important test for athletes preparing for the Olympics.

According to the organizers, China, Japan, and South Korea will participate in all events, while Cambodia and Saudi Arabia have registered for the first time, reports Xinhua.