"No news is good news"! "No illness or injury is also good news, especially for players"!
But just prior to the start of the 10th National Winter Games, cold has overshadowed pleasing snow flakes, though dancing in a graceful way in the wind.
Weather statistics showed that today's lowest temperature was minus 24 degrees, which inevitably accounted for the fact that many players had been plagued by cold and frostbite.
Li Xiaoming, head coach of Harbin cross country skiing women's team, said on Saturday,"All players will have to endure this coldest Games, and one third of our 11 players in all have caught cold, which to some extent affects their form."
"We have 37 players, but 1/3 of them have fallen prey to cold."
The misfortune also hit the biathlon team of People's Liberation Army. The apartment accommodating coaches and players was now filled with the smell of disinfectant which helped to prevent the spread of the disease.
To fight frostbite, Li Xiaoming asked his players to cover their faces and other parts exposed to the cold air with gauze .
The 10th National Winter Games is scheduled to start on Jan 5. Whether players will display good performance and make breakthrough here so as to get well prepared for the coming Asian Winter Games, cold and coldness turn out to be key factors.