SANYA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Securing all three gold medals in aquathlon at the 6th Asian Beach Games was no excuse for celebration for China's national triathlon team.

With no rest day, the athletes immediately packed for a high-altitude training camp in southwest China's Yunnan Province, already focused on the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympic Games.

Making its Asian Beach Games debut, aquathlon features a continuous run-swim-run format. Often described as a "mini-triathlon" because it omits the cycling leg, the fast-paced race is seen by elite athletes as an ideal tune-up for the new Olympic cycle, and by amateurs as an accessible entry into multi-sport racing.

China fielded a squad made up entirely of national triathlon team members and produced a clean sweep of golds in Sanya.

Fan Junjie battled through injury to claim the men's individual gold. Inspired by his resilience, his wife Lin Xinyu captured the women's title. Lin then teamed up with 18-year-old Luo Yunkang to dominate the mixed relay, completing the hosts' hat-trick.

"I just kept looking back as the gap narrowed, using our team's new motto to push through: 'Triathletes are forged into steel, striving for national glory,'" Fan recalled.

Watching his gritty performance inspired Lin. "Seeing him win through injury, I knew I had to follow his example," she said.

Behind these victories lies a systemic transformation within China's triathlon program. In 2022, the national team revamped its training system by introducing overseas coaches, in a move that has significantly accelerated the athletes' progress.

Lin, who achieved China's best-ever Olympic triathlon result with 28th place at Paris 2024, called the reform a turning point in her career. Since the Paris Games, the team has frequently held joint training camps with top European squads from countries such as Switzerland and Spain, helping narrow the gap with the world's best, particularly in the swim.

Looking ahead, the team is banking on youth. Team officials note that the current national squad is, on average, six to eight years younger than the top international field, signaling potential for the Los Angeles 2028 cycle.

The Sanya Games also highlighted the rising standards and camaraderie of the sport across Asia. Yu Shing Him of Hong Kong, China, whose team took silver in the mixed relay, noted that his squad has grown from just a handful of athletes a decade ago to nearly 60 today.

Meanwhile, the Philippines' team, consisting of part-time athletes like 26-year-old student Andrew Kim Remolino, secured a respectable fifth place.

"Competing in China has been a fantastic experience. It feels like a vacation here," Remolino said, noting that the aquathlon's inclusion in the Beach Games will help popularize the sport and elevate athletic standards across the continent.

Beyond elite competition, multi-sport racing is becoming a key component of China's national fitness campaign. The China Triathlon Sports Association now has over 64,000 registered individual members and has engaged more than 5.2 million participants in online events since 2020.

With its low barriers to entry, aquathlon is viewed as an ideal platform to introduce teenagers and the wider public to the discipline.

Watching his teammate Luo win gold, Fan, 25, reflected on their journey.

"When we were 18, we couldn't even imagine winning at a major international event. The country has given us a greater platform," he said. ■