Australia invited to Asian Winter Games

Australian athletes will attend the Asian Winter Games for the first time after all Oceania nations were invited to the February 2017 event in Sapporo, Japan.

The Games, being held for the eighth time, will give Australians another opportunity to compete in Asia ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Australians will be able to compete in all individual events in Sapporo which include skiing (alpine, freestyle and cross country), snowboarding, biathlon, speed skating, figure skating, luge and bobsled.

Test events for the Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang earlier in February 2017 with many athletes able to take part in both competitions should they wish.