SAPPORO, Japan, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- "Step by step, we are catching up," said Chinese snowboarder Zang Ruxin after winning a silver medal at the eighth Asian Winter Games here on Sunday.

Zang and her teammate Gong Naiying took the second and third places respectively in the women's snowboard giant slalom event, pocketing two medals for China on the first day of the Games.

"I feel proud and honored," said Zang, as the medalists of the event will receive their awards at the opening ceremony held later in the day.

China's giant slalom team is making their first Winter Asiad appearance in Sapporo. Although the giant slalom is a relatively new sport in China, the country has been making steady progress and catching up with other countries, according to Zang.

"We have been participating in a lot of competitions in the world to get more points, and we are catching up step by step," she said.

Both Zang and Gong thanked their Slovanian coach Peter Kotnik for their huge progress in recent years.

"I have been making a lot of progress since the coach took over...He has taught us a lot in techniques and made very good arrangements for our training and competitions abroad," said Zang.

Gong, meanwhile, also feels that her carefree personality helps her in the sport. Though it was her first time participating in the Asian Winter Games, "I had little pressure, just like playing in a game back in the home country," she said.

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