Wang Chunli finished 18th in the women's 10km classical cross country skiing at the Turin Games on Thursday, the best ever Olympic finish by Chinese in the discipline.

Last Sunday, Wang had already registered China's best ever record in the Olympic 15km pursuit, coming in 21st place.

Wang completed Thursday's race in 29 minutes and 34.6 seconds, 1:43.2 behind champion Kristina Smigun of Estonia, first double gold medalist here, who also topped the 15km pursuit.

"I thought I could squeeze into the top 30. But at the last phase of the race, I wanted to see if I could make to the top 20, and I made it," said the 22-year-old Wang.

Per-Erik Ronnestrand, head coach of Chinese cross country skiing team, said: "The result was beyond my expectation. Wang's weak in power. If she can improve her power, she may do better in the 2010 Vancouver Games."

"Before I came to coach the Chinese team, I saw the skiers training in Finland, and thought they bear the makings to go up to the Olympic podium," the 41-year-old Swede said.

Per-Erik, former head coach of the Swedish team, came to steer the Chinese team in 2005.

"Whether I can continue my coaching job for China is up to the Chinese team. I would like to go on with that," he said.

He added he hopes to work for the Chinese team in the next four-year Olympic cycle, and to witness more historic moments.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2006)