Beloved former athlete not snowed into one role

In the men's 4x10km relay, Qu and his teammates added a bronze medal to their tally, capping off a strong performance at the Games.

Qu had a successful career in cross-country skiing, winning multiple gold medals at the National Winter Games and other domestic competitions, with no regrets.

"Back then, with equipment far behind that of international athletes, we could only rely on determination. Many ask if my results would have been improved with better equipment but to me, that's part of sports — there are no 'what ifs.' I'm content knowing I gave my all," Qu says.

Retiring after the 2003 Aomori Asian Winter Games, Qu coached Harbin's ski team and the national youth team for nine years. A back injury forced him to retire from coaching after the 2012 National Winter Games.

Since then, Qu has held various roles, including team leader of Harbin's figure skating team and a technical official at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics.