By Li Shuxuan and Tang Huirun
The 69th Artistic Skating World Championships came to a resounding close on October 30 at the Yanqing National Fitness Center in Beijing. Four CUC students from the Bilingual Announcing and Anchoring (Chinese-English) program contributed to this world event with their professional announcing and hosting skills.
Marking its debut in China, the prestigious event running from October 17 to 30 featured 953 athletes from 38 countries and regions vying for 23 gold medals across eight disciplines, including free skating, inline free skating, solo dance, and pair dance.
The championships were co-organized by the National Sports Administration' s Social Sports Guidance Center, the Chinese Roller Skating Association, the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, and the Yanqing District People' s Government, leveraging legacy venues from the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Han Yifan, Li Shuxuan, Ai Zixuan, and Li Yiming, four students from the Bilingual Announcing and Anchoring (Chinese-English) program at Communication University of China (CUC), played indispensable rolesas bilingual announcers and hosts in the event, bringing professional delivery and a global standard of presentation to the world stage.
The opening ceremony on October 19 at the Yanqing Menghua Great Wall Theater was conducted bilingually. As the English host, Li Yiming guided the audience through the proceedings, from the entrance of the flags and the playing of national anthems to the introduction of distinguished guests. He concluded the formalities by officially commencing the cultural performance themed "Artistic Skating in Yanqing, Unity on Ice and on Wheels".
Li Yiming (Class of 2022, Left) serves as the English host for the opening ceremony.
Following the ceremony, Li Shuxuan, Han Yifan, and Ai Zixuan served as English sports presenters and venue announcers. They skillfully adapted their tone to complement the sport' s unique blend of power and elegance, guiding the audience through athlete introductions, judge presentations, and result declarations. To ensure precision in pronouncing numerous non-English names, they leveraged audio samples and AI tools.
Han Yifan (Class of 2022, Left), Li Shuxuan (Class of 2023, Second from Left) and Ai Zixuan (Class of 2022, Right) delivering live announcements at the Artistic Skating World Championships 2025
"I monitored the results alongside the athletes after each performance, ready to announce scores and rankings. That is a real test of my precision under pressure," Li Shuxuan noted. "But the joy I shared with the skaters whenever they achieved good results made the whole experience unforgettable."
Li Shuxuan about to announce the skaters' final scores
Throughout the intense two-week schedule, the announcers maintained high energy and precision, elevatingthe spectator experience while honoring every medalist' s moment.Their professionalism drew high praise from Mr. Nicola Genchi, Chair of the World Skate Artistic Technical Commission, who commented, "I think that your work has been very professional, very serious, precisely following the guideline and always with a lot of commitment. You did an amazing job. Thank you so much."
Mr. Nichola Genchi of World Skate (Left) credits announcers from CUC for their efforts.
The event also highlighted moments that captured the true spirit of sportsmanship. Han Yifan observed, "When an athlete fell, the spectators would offer encouraging applause. Whenever there was an outstanding performance, everyone would rise to their feet and cheer. It is in these moments that the sport truly connects people."
Han Yifan, one of the English announcers at the Artistic Skating World Championships 2025
The successful hosting of the Artistic Skating World Championships served as a powerful showcase of China' s organizational prowess, significantly elevating the global profile of artistic roller skating.The event reached millions of viewers worldwide through various media platforms, greatly advancing international sports culture exchange. In this endeavor, the bilingual broadcasting students from CUC were instrumental. Their professional performance not only elevated the event' s production quality but also left a professional and memorable Chinese mark on the world stage.
Editor: Li Shuxuan, Fang Yiran
Managing Editor: Tang Huirun
Editor-in-chief: Yu Ran, Chen Yiwen, Yang Zhongtian
