HARBIN, Jan. 11 -- Russian athletes swept the podium again in the elite men's group of the 2020 National Winter Triathlon in the city of Yichun in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Saturday, after dominating the ITU Winter Triathlon World Cup in Harbin last week.

Pavel Yakimov, bronze winner of the triathlon in Harbin, secured a gold in the elite men's group in 51 minutes and 36 seconds. Another two Russians Sergei Minin and Denis Kabanen finished second and third respectively.

"The game is well-organized and the atmosphere today was festive," Yakimov told Xinhua after his victory. "The Chinese contestants have done a good job today. Their progress is evident."

Championship of the elite women's group was grabbed by Valeriia Kuznetsova, also Russian. Following the Russian was Chen Lingshuang and Ma Qiuxiang, members of the newly-born Chinese National Winter Triathlon team.

The Chinese national team is preparing for the upcoming Winter Triathlon World Championships, which will be held in Italy in February.

"Competing with foreign athletes helps improve our team members," said Chen Xiaoran, secretary-general of China Triathlon Sports Association. "They can learn from those high-level triathletes."

The competition includes three segments of cross-country running, mountain biking and cross-country skiing, whose total distance amounted to 21.16km.

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