Changes taking place in Chinese team for better performance in Turin

China's national short track speed skating team has undergone a series of changes ahead of the Turin Winter Olympic Games in a bid to further tap the skaters' potential.

Xin Qingshan, who led China to two titles at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Games, was promoted into the post of head coach and the team was split into men's and women's squads with Feng Kai and Yi Min as their respective coaches.

"China has a group of good skaters and each of them needs more attention from the coaches in their build-up for Turin so as to improve their techniques and ability," the team leader Tong Lixin said on Sunday, the last day of the short track speed skating world championships here.

"Besides, the sport has developed into a new level, which requires men's and women's skaters adopt different training methods," he continued. "That's why we put more coaches in."

"I believe it is the trend in training," he said.

Previously, Xin had 20 skaters in one team while now Feng and Yi, each having an assistant, only coach 10 skaters respectively.

"I have more time to instruct them face to face now. It is good because we can have better outcome from training," said Yi, appointed the women's team coach in early January.

What's more, the national team opens its door to all skaters nationwide as it begins to select national team members through more domestic triald than coaches' opinions.

Tong explained that the top five men's and women's all-rounders in April's National Winter Games automatically enter the national team.

"But the national team is not a safe box for them because they have to compete in the Olympic trials before they can go to Turin next year," said Tong.

Countries like Canada and the United States have long adopted trials in selecting skaters for the Olympics while China kicks off the first of the kind in September.

All eligible skaters, about 120 in total, are entitled to compete in a preliminary before 18 of them, nine men and nine women, enter two qualifying rounds. The top five finishers in men' and women's all-round events respectively will represent China in Turin, according to Tong.

"We believe this change will prompt the top skaters in the national team to work harder and give chances to those from the provincial teams," he said.

"We need an inspired team for Turin and we hope the new trial system will give some help," Tong added.