The Norwegian men’s national team coach Eirik Myhr Nossum has once again heard bad words about the Chinese cross-country team in recent months. – I’ve heard a bit of a rumor lately that he has made quite big strides in cross-country skiing. That he is a terribly good sprinter, I remember that from a few years ago, says Nossum to news. On Thursday, Qiang Wang was among the runners who did a 10 kilometer long test run in Holmenkollen. Stars such as Simen Hegstad Krüger, Harald Østberg Amundsen and others from the Norwegian national team also went there. For the Chinese, it was the first time in over a year that he has had the opportunity to test himself against several of the best runners in the world. Qiang Wang is well known for his sprinting abilities. He has, among other things, a second place in the World Cup sprint in Drammen in 2022. Photo: Ragna Kristine Sandholt / news – Tough year The 30-year-old competed in both the Olympics in 2018 and the WC in 2019, but without being particularly noticed. In December 2019, he took his first World Cup points, but then the coronavirus came. The next time he was to be seen in international competition was the Olympics in Beijing in February 2022. There he showed proof that he had made great strides when he came fifth in the sprint prologue. It still stopped in the quarter-finals, after he felled Pål Golberg and was dished out. Home hopes were dashed. He went with the rest of the world elite to Europe after the Olympics. He really broke through there. Sixth place in Lahti was followed up by the first podium of his career a few days later in Drammen. On the way up to Bragernes Torg, he was only beaten by Richard Jouve. A few months later, he sprinted from Even Northug and was third in the classic sprint during Toppidrettsveka in Aure. Hopes for the sprint comet were thus sky high, but Qiang never got the chance to shine in the big arena when winter came. – He thought he would get to go to both the World Cup and the WC. Now nothing happened, unfortunately, so it was probably a difficult year last year, says his Norwegian coach Lars Christian Aabol to news. Lars Christian Aabol is Qiang Wang’s trainer in Norway. Photo: NTB The national team was shut down Because after shocking the entire cross-country skiing elite at Aure, Qiang himself received a shock message: The Chinese sports apparatus had changed ministers and the national team was shut down. Therefore, the great talent had to travel home to China and smoke the entire season. Simen Hegstad Krüger and Didrik Tønseth are also on hand for test runs in Holmenkollen. Both of them struggle to come to terms with the situation Qiang has been in. – It is difficult to come to terms with his everyday life and the frustration it must have been and not being allowed to go because of some politics, which he did not has control over himself. But he has clearly managed to do a good job, despite that, says Krüger. – Now we hope in any case that he will be here and gone before Christmas. And that he is doing so well that he gets to stay here all winter, adds Tønseth. Didrik Tønseth hopes Wang will get out of the visa problem. Photo: NTB Problem with visa It is the club in the home country that finances the venture in Norway, Aabol says. According to the plan, Qiang will go to the season opener at Beitostølen 17–19 November. Then the trip goes to the world cup opening in Ruka, Finland. The goal is also to reach the trial WC in Trondheim, just before Christmas. But there is only one problem: – Our visa expires two days before the test WC in Trondheim, says Aabol, who is now working with the Norwegian embassy to extend the visa by a few days. But until further notice, Qiang is preparing for the start of the season. He has just finished the test run and needs a few minutes to get his bearings. – I felt good, at least the first round. But the muscles failed, he says, after still finishing in 13th place. Qiang Wang believes he has improved as a sprinter, which is also why he has become better at distance. Photo: Ragna Kristine Sandholt / news The first round also went quickly. There he was the fourth fastest, among other things six tenths ahead of Krüger. At the finish line, he was 1.12.3 minutes behind winner Mattis Stenshagen, but seven seconds ahead of national team runner Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget. Aabol thinks it was a tough day on the roller skiing track, but confirms the national team coach’s suspicions: Qiang has improved, also over distance. – Today was one step back. I think it was simply because he opened too quickly. But he has gotten better at distance. I also think he can go fast on a 10-kilometer run in the winter, says Aabol. Enormous development No dice roll six from the trainer. But the rest of the all-round national team let themselves be impressed. – How long ago did he start skiing then, exclaimed Krüger after the finish. Simen Hegstad Krüger is sure that we will see more of Wang in the winter. Photo: NTB He continues: – He has had an enormous development. We have noticed the speed resources he has and know how fast he can go in one minute. And now it looks like he’s starting to get his capacity up a notch. I think it’s impressive how quickly he manages to become good. – It is strong. He is a sprinter, that’s where he has a podium place from Drammen. What he is doing here today, on such a tough course, indicates that he has taken a real step in distance, says Tønseth. Men’s national team coach, Eirik Myhr Nossum, sees that Wang has also improved over distance. Photo: NTB Now they both hope to see Qiang in the World Cup in the winter. Myhr Nossum does the same. – When you have something to do in a test race here, then you have something to do in the World Cup. Plain and simple, he says.
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Got a shock message last year – now there are rumors about Chinese Qiang Wang – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
