Jiang Jingsong serves as a referee during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. [Photo/WeChat account: jshmrb]

Jiang Jingsong, a physical education teacher from Haimen Middle School in Haimen district, Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, served as a referee in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

During the 2022 Games, Jiang served as a referee for ski jumping and Nordic combined, measuring athletes' jumping distances.  

Hailing from Haimen, a place with almost no winter sports, it wasn't easy for Jiang to serve as a referee for an international competition.

Jiang Jingsong (R) takes a photo with Usain Bolt, who broke a world record at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. [Photo/WeChat account: jshmrb]

Due to his experience as a referee at some professional events such as the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Asian Games and National Games, Jiang is proficient in English.

He is also a technical officer of the Chinese Athletics Association and has several track and field referee qualifications, including marathons. He is also skilled in sailboard sailing.

However, domestic referees of the Olympic Winter Games were required to have a certain level of skiing ability.

To meet this requirement, Jiang asked a colleague from the sports department of the Harbin Institute of Technology for help and trained at the university's ski area. He was able to achieve intermediate technical level.

Jiang said he witnessed athletes demonstrating the Olympic spirit of hard work and never giving up, as well as the rise of winter sports in China. After the quarantine period, I will share my Winter Olympics experiences with students so that the Olympic spirit may live on, added Jiang.