Seven-time Olympic medalist Di Centa: Athletes the center of Beijing 2022

BARCELONA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Former Winter Olympic gold medalist Manuela di Centa believes that the most important thing about the Winter Olympic Games to be held in Beijing in February 2022 is that the athletes will be able to compete.

The former cross-country skier won two gold, two silver and one bronze medals in Lillehammer in 1994, and one bronze each in 1992 and 1998, along with four silver medals in the World Championships, before forming part of the Italian Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee, which she represented for 11 years between 1999 and 2010.

Coming from a notable sporting family, her brother Giorgio won two gold medals in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Speaking to Xinhua, she expressed the satisfaction of triumph in the Olympic Games.

"When you have focused on this goal and you win a medal, you are able to say. 'I've done it, I was right to dream of success and give 100 percent of myself on this goal. And the dream came true."

"As a woman especially, you feel it is self-empowerment, you won a medal and you also proved it to yourself," she said.

Di Centa looked ahead to the Beijing Games and said the example of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, showed what is important to competitors.

"A few months ago in Tokyo, we saw how the most important thing won," she commented.

"The most important thing was the athletes. They had the possibility to dream, to win medals, to compete, to give their best in the Olympic Games and if possible to win a medal and it is the same for Beijing," she insisted.

The former gold medal winner insisted that in Beijing "from my point of view as an athlete and I think that of the IOC, the key factors were to create a safe environment and to give the athletes the chance to be there and to compete."