On December 10, the 24th Chinese University Swimming Championship (Northern Division) concluded successfully. In a highly competitive field, the NEFU swimming team delivered an impressive performance, securing three gold, one silver, and four bronze medals. The team placed second overall in Group A, second among women, and fourth among men. Zhong Yuan of the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and Zhou Qunqi of the School of Forestry were awarded the “Outstanding Athlete” title. Liu Dan, a faculty member, received the “Outstanding Coach” honor. In addition, NEFU received the Sportsmanship Award.

The Northern Division attracted 1,023 athletes and coaches from 114 universities, marking a significant increase in both the number of participating institutions and the number of participants compared with previous editions. The competition brought together teams from many prestigious universities, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Zhejiang University. It also featured world–champion–level coaches, such as Fu Yuanhui, who provided on-site guidance. As a result, the event’s competitive standard and overall influence achieved a qualitative leap compared with past editions.

The 13 swimmers coached by Wang Suwei and Liu Dan were selected from NEFU’s full-time student body. Despite heavy academic demands, they persevered with systematic training during their lunch breaks, achieving a remarkable balance between study and training through self-discipline and determination. In competition, the team demonstrated a tenacious, united sporting spirit and outstanding competitive strength.

These outstanding achievements are the direct result of the University’s thorough implementation of the “Health First” educational philosophy, its steady advancement of education through sports, and its continued efforts to deepen the integrated talent-cultivation model that combines ideological and political education with physical education. For many years, the NEFU swimming team has adhered to the principle of cultivating virtue through sports, rigorously strengthening training and competitive performance, and leveraging sports to forge character, promote holistic development, and nurture well-rounded talents who excel both athletically and academically.

Among them, Diao Yifan from the College of Materials Science and Engineering was recommended for postgraduate admission to Sichuan University; Tang Hanqi from the College of Computer and Control Engineering achieved outstanding results in multiple national-level innovation and entrepreneurship competitions; and Hou Yuan from the Aulin College was awarded the National Scholarship. All three were named Outstanding Students of Heilongjiang Province (2024–2025). By honing their spirit through sports and enriching their lives through scholarship, they exemplify NEFU’s educational philosophy of integrated development across five domains (Moral, Intellectual, Physical, Aesthetic, and Labor), underscoring NEFU’s firm commitment and tangible achievements in cultivating a new generation of well-rounded talents through physical education.