The Loongs road to Milan starts here China to face world's best at short-track's season-ending extravaganza in Beijing Sun Long of China leads his teammates during a training session at the Beijing Capital Indoor Stadium on Wednesday ahead of the ISU World Short-Track Speed Skating Championships.YU MENG/FOR CHINA DAILY

Faster, fiercer and far more intriguing with the Olympics on the horizon — the endgame of short-track speed skating's 2024-25 season is serving up the closest possible test to the challenge that will face the world's best at Milano-Cortina 2026.

From heated battles between in-form superstars to some era-defining rivalries on ice, the 2025 International Skating Union short-track world championships, which take place from Friday to Sunday in Beijing, will have it all, as aspirant medal contenders do battle at the Capital Indoor Stadium in a bid to get a head-start on their race to the Olympic podium.

Among the 164 skaters from 36 nations and regions to hit the ice in Beijing, fresh ISU Crystal Globe winners Kristen Santos-Griswold of the United States and her male counterpart William Dandjinou of Canada have emerged as rarely-seen all-arounders — and as undisputed favorites across all individual events — but, everywhere they look, top-class challengers are waiting to pounce.

Despite their dominance on the recently concluded 2024-25 World Tour, both Santos-Griswold and Dandjinou are approaching the meet knowing they have to step it up a gear with the Milano-Cortina Games just 11 months away.