After 14 years, Beijing 2008 hockey field turns into Beijing 2022 speed skating oval

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- After 14 years, the Beijing 2008 hockey field has turned into Beijing 2022 National Speed Skating Oval that welcomed the first international competition among Beijing 2022's test events from Oct. 8 to 10.

The speed skating test competition invited athletes from China, the Netherlands and South Korea to take part in 12 events including men's and women's 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m, team pursuit and mass start as well as women's 3,000m and men's 5,000m.

"This event reminds me of Aug. 8, 2007, 14 years ago, when Beijing 2008 Olympic test event the International Hockey Invitational was held right here on this piece of land," said Wu Xiaonan, chairman of the National Speed Skating Oval.

"That temporary Summer Olympic venue now has turned into an iconic winter Olympic stadium, called 'Ice Ribbon'," he said. "From the Beijing Summer Olympic Games to the Winter Games that will be hosted by Beijing together with Zhangjiakou, Beijing, the city of two Olympic Games will carry on the magnificence of the Olympics."