The target was spelled out In a video link hosted in Oslo to mark the impending one-year countdown and involving participants in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China by the Norwegian Chef de Mission for Beijing 2022, Tore Øvrebø.

Norway, who finished top of the medals table at Pyeongchang 2018 with a historic total of 39 medals, 14 of which were golds, plan to send around 125 athletes to Beijing 2022, which is due to open on February 4 next year. 

"This means the Norwegian people will have great expectations for what we are going to achieve in 2022," Øvrebø said.

Norway’s Chef de Mission for the Paralympic Games, Cato Zahl Pedersen, noted that athletes with disabilities are faced with even great difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic and that "significant efforts" are being made to support them by the country’s Paralympic Committee.

The 13-time Paralympic skiing gold medallist revealed the Norwegian Paralympic team will participate in all six sports and hopes to yield better results at Beijing 2022 than at Pyeongchang 2018, where it secured eight medals, only of which one was gold, as they finished a disappointing 14th place overall. 

Pedersen mentioned in particular the Chinese wheelchair curling team, who beat Norway in the final at Pyeongchang 2018, adding: "We are very eager and engaged to beat China in wheelchair curling!"

Norwegian athletes, including speed skaters Sverre Lunde Pedersen and Havard Lorentzen, free style skier Birk Ruud. shared their aspiration for Beijing 2022 in videos.

"I'm really looking forward to the Winter Olympics Beijing 2022," Ruud said. 

"My goal is to ski in all three disciplines and I'll do my best.

"The dream situation will be three medals around my neck."

Signe Brudeset, Norwegian Ambassador to China, revealed that Norway has been cooperating with China on exchanging experiences on best practice in order to make the Winter Olympics in Beijing 2022 a great success.

Norway and China signed an official sports cooperation agreement in 2017.

"Norway offers unparalleled expertise in design, management, and construction of winter sports infrastructure," Brudeset said.

"We look forward to seeing more business exchanges, as companies in China and Norway get together to develop the products and services needed to develop Chinese winter sports culture.

"Norwegian coaches and athletes are cooperating with Chinese cross-country and biathlon teams in their preparatory work for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

"Many Chinese youth athletes have been training in Norway in recent years, attending sports high schools and training for upcoming seasons."