BEIJING - With less than 500 days to go before the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, China's athletes face an uphill campaign at the event, the country's top sports official said.

"There is still a considerable gap between us and the leading winter sports nations, and our preparations for the Milan Winter Olympics remain challenging," Li Jing, deputy head of General Administration of Sport of China (GASA), told a press conference on Wednesday.

China has won a total of 117 medals, including 39 golds, at World Championships and World Cup events across winter sports following the 2022 Winter Olympics, according to the GASA.

Li said that more than 600 Chinese athletes are currently training or competing abroad for the 2024-25 season, which will be a critical period as a slew of Olympic qualification events are set to unfold.

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"We have consistently applied the principle of being strict and tough, simulating real competition situations in training sessions," he said.

The 9th Asian Winter Games will take place over Feb 7-14, 2025 in Harbin, Northeast China.

Li said that this event will serve as a key training opportunity for China's athletes.

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"The teams will adjust their training plans for the Games. Hopefully, we will deliver impressive performances at the event that will set the stage for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games," he concluded.