China's post-2000s Olympians shine at Beijing 2022

From lighting the Olympic cauldron to excelling in their sports, China's post-2000s athletes have started to take center stage at Beijing 2022. Let's take a look.

Su Yiming

With his highest score of 88.70 points, Su took a silver medal on his Olympic debut, also the first Olympic snowboard medal for China.

Silver Medalist Su Yiming celebrates after men's snowboard slopestyle final at the Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

Silver Medalist Su Yiming competes during men's snowboard slopestyle final at the Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

China's Su Yiming competes during men's snowboard slopestyle final at the Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)

Gu Ailing

Gu Ailing pulled off a 1620 performance she had never tried before to win the women's freeski big air gold, becoming the first female Chinese athlete to be crowned in a snow sport at a Winter Olympics.

Gu Ailing of China reacts during women's freeski big air final at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Gu Ailing of China competes during women's freeski big air final at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li He)

Gu Ailing of China competes during women's freeski big air final at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ga)

Li Wenlong

As a debutant in short track speed skating, Li Wenlong skated behind his teammates from the heats to the final in the men's 1,000m short track races as part of the team's tactics. Taking a silver from the event was a surprise for him.

Li Wenlong (C) of China celebrates after winning the silver medal in the men's 1,000m final of short track speed skating at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ga)

Ren Ziwei (R) and Li Wenlong of China celebrate after the men's 1,000m final of short track speed skating at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 7, 2022. Ren Ziwei and Li Wenlong claimed the gold and the silver medal respectively in the event. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

China's Ren Ziwei (C) , Li Wenlong (L) and Hungary's Shaoang Liu attend the flower ceremony after the men's 1000m final of short track speed skating at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen

Even before the Games started, two post-2000s athletes had already taken center stage, as cross-country skier Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Nordic combined athlete Zhao Jiawen lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony.

Torch bearers Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen holding the last torch gesture during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Li An)

Torch bearers Dinigeer Yilamujiang (L) and Zhao Jiawen attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Zijian)

Torch bearers Dinigeer Yilamujiang (L) and Zhao Jiawen set the torch into the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ga)