Lindholm, who won world titles for Sweden in 1997, 2004 and 2007, is due to take up his new role in August and is tasked with leading the Chinese to the podium on home ice at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The 48-year-old is excited to get started with the Chinese.

"The Chinese curling team is composed of young and energetic members, they are competitive," he told China's official state news agency Xinhua. 

"I am actually familiar with them as I have paid close attention to their performance in many international competitions.

"I believe the Chinese national curling team will make great progress and become one of the top teams in the world through joint efforts with our coaching staff."

The Chinese men's and women's curling teams were formed in 2002 and 2003 respectively but have made rapid progress up the ranks.

The women's team won the 2009 world title and an Olympic bronze medal at Vancouver in 2010, while the men's team were runners-up in the Curling World Cup in May.

Lindholm, who competed at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics, became head coach of the Swedish men's team in 2010.

He led the country to 31 medals on the world stage, including women's gold and men's silver medals at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018.

Under his leadership, the men's team also won gold at the 2019 World Curling Championships in Canada, where the women claimed a silver medal.