Chinese athlete Han Mei from Hohhot broke a record by finishing 9th in the women's 1500-meter speed skating final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which was the best-ever ranking for the Chinese sports delegation in the Winter Olympics event.

Han Mei on the track. [Photo/Hohhot Convergence Media]

Born in 1998 in Hohhot, Han developed an interest in speed skating in 2007. Encouraged by her father, she devoted herself to the sport, achieving excellent results in various competitions. She secured fifth place in the women's team pursuit at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and was the runner-up in the women's 1500-meter event at the 2023-2024 ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, as well as the runner-up in the women's 500-meter and 1500-meter at the 2023-2024 ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships.

The Hohhot municipal government awarded Han, a member of the Chinese speed skating team, the honorary titles of "Qingcheng Ice and Snow Sports Ambassador" and "Hohhot Winter Culture, Tourism, and Sports Promotion Officer" on April 18, 2025.