China National Radio Mudanjiang, November 9 (Reporter Ma Junwei) On November 9, the 28th National Winter Swimming Championship of 2024 was held at Jingpohu Lake National Scenic Area in Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province. Nearly 700 athletes from 31 teams across 18 provinces and cities in China participated, with the oldest competitor aged 70 and the youngest 18.

Live at the opening ceremony (Photo by Ma Junwei, CNR.cn)

At the opening ceremony, Li Chuanzhu, Vice Mayor of the Mudanjiang Municipal People's Government, stated that Mudanjiang boasts an excellent ecological environment, proximity to borders and seas, and a rich cultural heritage. It is recognized as a China Excellent Tourism City, one of China's Top Ten Most Livable Cities, among the Top 100 Cities in China's Tourism Competitiveness, one of China's Top Ten Distinctive Leisure Cities, and one of China's Top Ten Ice and Snow Tourism Cities. Renowned for its "scenic Jingpohu, vast snow-covered forests, century-old ports, and China Snow Town," it is praised as "the Jiangnan of the North amid snow-clad forests, a land of fish and rice between white mountains and black waters." In recent years, leveraging its abundant natural resources—such as large lakes, expansive forests, vast wetlands, and ice-snow landscapes—along with its profound cultural heritage, Mudanjiang has vigorously developed distinctive cultural tourism and ice-snow economy. Utilizing urban highlights like Jingpohu, the world's largest volcanic barrier lake, and the fairy-tale ice-snow scenery of China Snow Town, the city has significantly enhanced the reputation and influence of its tourism brand, "Scenic Jingpohu Lake · Vast Snow-Covered Forests."

Competition site (Photo by Ma Junwei, CNR.cn)

On the 9th at 9 o'clock, the competition officially commenced at the Diaoshuilou Waterfall of Jingpohu. With the starting gun fired, winter swimmers leaped into the Black Dragon Pool like fish diving into water. They cut through the waves with graceful strokes and astonishing speed, charging forward like arrows released from a bow toward the finish line, drawing enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience.

The competition has established special events for youth, middle-aged, senior, and "Bulaosong" groups based on age categories. The events include freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle relay, and medley relay.

Winter swimming athletes compete fiercely (Photo by Ma Junwei, reporter from CNR)

The National Winter Swimming Championships are the highest-level event in winter swimming competitions, held annually and organized by the Swimming Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Swimming Association. This year marks its first hosting in Heilongjiang Province, undertaken by the People's Government of Mudanjiang City. The event not only contributes to promoting sports culture, stimulating tourism development, and fostering the deep integration of culture, sports, and tourism in Heilongjiang Province, but also supports the Harbin 2025 9th Asian Winter Games with high-level competitive exchanges and the sportsmanship of challenging personal limits.