Yang Yang targets the best self in 2022 Winter Olympics bid

Yang Yang, China's first gold medalist in Winter Olympics, said on Monday that Beijing and Zhangjiakou need to showcase their true selves in bidding for the 2022 Winter Games.

With two days to go before the 16th Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony, Yang Yang, in company with five-time Olympic gymnastics champion Nadia Comaneci and former alpine skiing Olympic champion Franz Klammer, gave a skating course to 30 Special Olympics athletes in Shanghai's Feiyang Skating Center.

"What we need to do, as candidate cities for the 2022 Winter Olympics, is to show our true selves, as well as our resolve to be a responsible Olympics host," said Yang, also an International Olympic Committee member.

"Beijing's Winter Olympics bid has raised enthusiasm for winter sports in China," she added.

Founded in 2000, the Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards honoring the greatest sportsmen and women. This year marks the first time for this premier awards to come to China.

"I hope with our effort (to host a successful Laureus ceremony), we can get a bonus point in the bid," said Yang.

Beijing and Zhangjiakou are competing against Almaty. The IOC evaluation commission recently wrapped up its visit to assess two cities' 2022 Olympics bid.

The IOC evaluation commission will next turn to compiling its report before a final decision is scheduled to be made at the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31. Endi