China sends 176 athletes to compete in Beijing Winter Olympics

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- China announced a 176-athlete team for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games as its delegation was finalized here on Thursday.

The number of the athletes was two times higher than that of the previous Games in PyeongChang, and they will compete in 104 events of 15 disciplines in all seven Olympic winter sports. There are 20 athletes from China's ethnic minority groups including Tibetans and Uygurs.

The 387-member delegation was the largest in the history of the Chinese participation in Winter Olympics, in which 131 athletes will make their debut in the Winter Games. 51 overseas coaches out of 78 served in the Chinese delegation.

China had never competed in about a third of the 109 events, when Beijing was awarded the hosting right of the 2022 Winter Olympics in 2015.

In PyeongChang, China competed in 53 events of 12 disciplines, and took home one gold, six silver and two bronze medals, placing 16th in gold medal tally.

The Chinese athletes have won 12 out of the 13 golds from short track speed skating, figure skating and speed skating. For the Beijing Winter Olympics, the above three disciplines will still be China's main medal hopefuls.

The Games will kick off on February 4.