Olympic champion Sui extends figure skating dream off the rink

Stepping away from competitive figure skating after winning gold at Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing has now returned to the rink as a choreographer or program director to pursue her figure skating legacy in a new realm.

Thanks to her efforts, a creative program, which depicts a young girl chasing her winter sports dreams, at the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin on Friday, highlighted the growing passion for ice and snow sports in China and left a deep impression on audience worldwide.

The show tells a story of a dream coming true. The young girl started her dream with an ice lantern, and then pursued her dream by learning ice sports. Finally, she and the Olympic champion lit the main torch at the opening ceremony. Lighting the main torch is a process of her dream coming true, according to Sha Xiaolan, chief director of the event's opening ceremony.

On the eve of the Spring Festival, Sui, a program director for the opening ceremony, was still guiding the performers in refining their movements and enhancing the artistic elements of their performances at the rehearsal venue.

According to Sui who can enjoy her competitions on the Olympic stage, she is under pressure when standing on the director's command platform for the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games.

"I think it's a different kind of experience and growth. I believe that in the future, whether it's in figure skating competitions or in communication with athletes, I will have a different ability to control the situation. My overall organizational skills have improved," she said.

The transition from an athlete to a director signifies a substantial shift in professional identity. However, for Sui, the new domain remains an extension of her figure skating career and aspirations.

"We take sports as the medium and then present them in an artistic form at the opening and closing ceremonies. I hope this is a new attempt and a start. I hope that in the future, more sports events will try to use these artistic programs to interpret our Chinese stories," Sui explained.

As a Winter Olympics champion from Harbin, Sui is excited about her transition into the field of directing and playing a role in the event. She meticulously choreographed the story of Harbin, the "city of Olympic champions", and presented it to global audience at the opening ceremony of the Asian Winter Games.

"The small lantern carried by the performers symbolizes a hope, a hope for the future. This young child represents my younger self. We all have a tiny seed in our hearts, watching the Olympic champions, watching the people we dream of becoming come to our side. I think this is a kind of power of inheritance. I also hope that on the rink of the opening ceremony, we can show the power of Harbin as a city of Olympic champions," she explained.

Although she has been away from the competition arena for three years, Sui still persists in her daily training. Whether in her role as a director or as an athlete, upholding the glorious tradition of Chinese figure skating remains her unwavering goal.

Olympic champion Sui extends figure skating dream off the rink

Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.

In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.

"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.

Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on on Jan 3.

Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.

"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.

Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.

Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.

"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.

Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela