This morning (flights permitting) the elite athletes of the National Marching Team of China (Liu Hong, Qieyang Shenjie, Lu Xiuzhi, Ma Zhenxia, Cai Zelin, Zhang Yun, Wang Qin and Wang Rui together with the coaches Wang Yinhang and Sun Chao, and the physiotherapists and doctor as well as the head of delegation Yang Lifeng) will leave the center of Saluzzo to return to China.
Their stay in Italy, which began immediately after Christmas, was to last until the first week of February with an initial period of a few days in Saluzzo, then three weeks in San Lorenzo al Mare which, like every year for almost ten years now, has been their point of training reference on the cycle path that connects San Lorenzo al Mare to Sanremo.
Immediately after the Chinese New Year, the return to Saluzzo for another ten days of training and then there should have been the return to China where they would have to compete in the selection for the World Race Walking Team Championships in Huangshan on 1.3.2020.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in China had advised the continuation of training in Saluzzo.
We all know how it turned out. Now while China is currently recovering, Italy is the focal point of the epidemic.
Although with some difficulties and with the interventions of the Consulates, the entire team led by the Head of the AAC department, Yang Lifeng, obtained permission to return to China.
In China, however, the other elite leaders of the Chinese race walk, Chen Ding, Yang Jiayu and Wang Kaihua who trained in Nanjing, Lijiang and Chengong remained.