China Performs Well in Sochi Winter Olympics

The XXII Winter Olympic Games opened on February 7 in a spectacular ceremony which was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the invitation of his Russian counterpart， Vladimir Putin. Xis appearance at the Sochi Olympic opening ceremony was the first attendance by a Chinese president at a major overseas sports event， signaling Chinas strong support for the Olympics and Russias efforts to host the Games.

China sent a 138-member delegation including 65 athletes to the first ever winter Olympics held in Russia. The Chinese athletes competed in alpine skiing， freestyle skiing， cross-country skiing， biathlon， speed skating， short track speed skating， figure skating， snowboard and curling.

China had won nine gold， 18 silver and 17 bronze medals since its winter Olympic debut in 1980， which included a 5-2-4 record in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics that placed the country at 7th on the final medal table.

Zhang Hong wins Chinas first ever Olympic speed skating gold medal as she claims the womens 1，000-m title on February 13.

Pang Qing （top） and Tong Jian

compete in the figure skating

pairs free skating on February 12.