Asiad debut

Qu's strong performance at the Universiade fueled his confidence ahead of the 1996 Asian Winter Games in his hometown of Harbin.

"As a Harbin native, and with this being the first time an intercontinental winter multisport event was held in China, everyone wanted to prove themselves on the home turf," Qu says.

Competition was fierce. Alongside Japan, Kazakhstan debuted a team that included three Olympic and two world champions, all aiming to dominate the individual events. Qu, competing in men's 15km freestyle cross-country skiing, faced immense pressure as the first gold of the winter sports event was at stake.

Starting near the back of the pack, Qu relied on his familiarity with Yabuli's course to overcome the challenge. Kazakhstan's Pavel Ryabinin set a fast pace, but Qu's coach urged him to push for a final sprint. Despite a valiant effort, Qu finished just 14 seconds behind Ryabinin, taking silver.

"Though it's a silver, it's a medal earned through my efforts, and I'm proud of it," Qu reflects.