BEIJING, Nov. 17 (silubaba) -- Beijing Olympic Winter Games titlist Gao Tingyu is striving to find back his top form, finishing first in the men's 500m Division B at the ongoing Speed Skating World Cup here on Friday.
Gao clocked a winning 34.87 seconds in the morning session, improving from 35.02s at the China Cup on November 11 in Harbin, which was his first competition in 21 months after his 500m victory at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
"I was at my 70% or perhaps 80% today. Because I don't have race points from last season so I need to start from Division B," Gao explained. "I will move up to Division A tomorrow. It's good for me to gain more experience."
Racing again at the National Speed Skating Oval brought back memories from Beijing 2022 where Gao became China's first men's Olympic speed skating champion.
"I was so happy to compete here again, hearing the cheers from the spectators and with my family and friends watching from the stands," he said.
"I was half a second slower than my winning result at the Beijing Winter Olympics, but I did my best today," he added.
25-year-old Gao went into a long break after the Beijing Games and just resumed training six months ago. He admitted that he needed some time to readjust to the strenuous training.
"It was painful training accompanied with injuries at the beginning," he said.
But once stepping on the ice rink, he "instantly let out all my energies as if it was in my instinct."
"I am coming back, starting afresh," he concluded. ■
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