INTERNATIONAL: The International Skating Union’s World Cup Short Track Speed Skating series has opened in Beijing. Skaters are looking to qualify for the 2022 Winter Olympics. This year's World Cup consists of four stops starting in the Chinese capital.

232 skaters from 37 countries and regions are taking part in the nine-event competition. It’s being staged in the Capital Indoor Stadium, the official competition venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Chinese team – comprising of six men and six women, including Olympic champion Wu Dajing and rising star Ren Ziwei - are on show.

Following the stop in Beijing, the World Cup 2021-22 season will move on to Nagoya, Japan next week, before the action heads to Europe, wrapping up at the end of next month. This season is the first full campaign after the World Short Track Speed Skating Championship was disrupted by the pandemic last year.

^{PHOTO: China-Winter Olympics/Speed Skating/Test Event}