BEIJING — When Fan Kexin tensed in readiness before a women’s 500-meter speedskating race at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, a small coal-mining city 860 miles away in China’s northeast held its breath.
The city, Qitaihe, has endured mine disasters, industrial closures and an exodus of young people. Yet it has also emerged as a powerhouse in short-track speedskating.
Its skaters have won an improbably large share of China’s go medals over successive Winter Olympics. They have claimed — individually or in relay teams — seven of China’s 15 goldssince 2002. It now hopes for more from Fan, a 28-year-old native of Qitaihe who already helped win China’s first gold at these Games as part of its team for the short-track speedskating mixed-gender relay.