Saudi Arabian athletes eye gold, embrace icy fun during Winter Asian Games debut

Saudi Arabian athletes have set high ambitions for their debut at the ongoing Asian Winter Games in northeast China, hoping to win a gold medal before the continental sports event moves to their home country in 2029.

The 9th edition of the Games kicked off on Feb 7 in Harbin, known as China's "Ice City", and runs until Feb 14. The grand event has gathered 1,275 competitors from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest ever edition of the Games in terms of overall participation.

Team Saudi Arabia is taking part in the Games for the first time and has a team of seven athletes in Harbin competing in skiing and curling. The host city's chilly temperatures are a rare experience for the athletes from the West Asian desert country.

"It really feels great to come to your country, also for the first time," said Suleiman Alaqel, one of the Saudi curling athletes.

"Actually I like cold, but here's really, really cold. Also, I like it," said Mohammed Aldaraan, another curling athlete.

Saudi Arabia will host the 10th Asian Winter Games in the mountains of Trojena, a planned resort destination for alpine and adventure sports as part of the Red Sea megacity NEOM. Knowing they will be the next host of the Games has made the team eager to prove what they are capable of at this year's event.

"Gold, that's my goal. Either today or in four years when it comes to Trojena, we're going to get the gold," said curling athlete Hussein Hagawi.

The Saudi athletes offered sincere words of welcome to competitors and sports fans who are already looking forward to the next Winter Asian Games.

"Trojena is ready to welcome all the sports individuals and anyone to come there," Aldaraan said.

"We'll be ready for you guys. Welcome to Saudi Arabia next time after Harbin," said Hagawi.

While intensely preparing for the competitions, the Saudi Arabian delegation had the opportunity to explore the ice and snow recreation events at Harbin's iconic Snowman Wharf. There, they enjoyed an unforgettable experience as they boarded an ice raft and were pulled along by a vehicle at thrilling speeds.

"It's so cold. It's a very good experience for us," said Fahad Alrubaysh, assistant manager of Team Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabian athletes eye gold, embrace icy fun during Winter Asian Games debut

As an amateur football tournament heats up in northeast China, numerous off-site viewing venues have been set up across Dalian City in Liaoning Province, giving a strong boost to local nighttime consumption.

Last year, the Jiangsu Super League, an amateur competition featuring 13 city teams from east China's Jiangsu Province, became a nationwide sensation and ignited a grassroots football fever, prompting the establishment of similar events in other regions, such as the ongoing Northeast China City Football League.

Popularly dubbed the "Northeast Super League," the tournament has drawn fans from across the region, driving a sharp rise in tourism revenues.

Thanks to the football fever, the off-site viewing venues and bazaars in Dalian's business districts, shopping streets and landmark surroundings are enjoying a boom in summer night economy.

"I'm from Panjin City in Liaoning [province]. I didn't manage to get a ticket for the Northeast Super League, but the atmosphere at the off-site viewing venue is just as electric. I'm going to explore the market later to see what Liaoning-themed creative cultural goods are on offer and to taste some local cuisine," said a tourist.

"I'm from Inner Mongolia. I don't know much about football, but the merchandise such as flush toys and souvenirs really caught my eye. And sports gear is on sale, boosting economy in the vicinity. I think that's excellent," said another tourist. On game days, the influx of football fans would translate into substantial revenue growth for catering businesses and retailers in areas surrounding off-site viewing venues, bringing tangible benefits to local economy.

"Thanks to the games, we've seen significant growth across the board. For example, the catering sector has posted a sales increase of 180 percent during the tournament, and our foot traffic has more than doubled," said Liu Dan, director of planning of Dalian Shanshan Outlet, a shopping plaza.

Football fever fuels nighttime consumption boom in northeast China