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Yang Yang (A)
Encyclopedia
Yang Yang is a former Chinese short track speed skater
and current IOC member. She is a two-time Olympic Champion from 2002 Winter Olympics
and a five-time Overall World Champion
for 1998-2002. She was formerly a member of the Chinese national short track team. Yang is one of the most accomplished short track speed skaters of all time having won 32 world titles, including five Overall World Championships. She is the second person to have won five Overall World Titles (after Sylvie Daigle
of Canada) and the first to have won five consecutively. Her victory in the women's 500 m short track at the 2002 Winter Olympics
made her China's first-ever Winter Olympics gold medalist. She added a second gold in the women's 1000 m short track at the same Games and has also won two silver and a bronze medal. After 2003 World Championships, Yang took time off competing, but came back in 2004-2005 season in lead-up to 2006 Winter Olympics
where she won the bronze medal in 1000m race. She retired soon afterwards.
legs.
Yang was elected as an IOC member in 2010 becoming mainland China's fourth IOC member. She is also a committee member of the World Anti Doping Agency, and a founding member of the Chinese Athlete Education Foundation.
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
and current IOC member. She is a two-time Olympic Champion from 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
and a five-time Overall World Champion
World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
The World Short Track Speed Skating Championships are a senior international short track speed skating competition held once a year to determine the World Champion in individual distances, relays and Overall Classification...
for 1998-2002. She was formerly a member of the Chinese national short track team. Yang is one of the most accomplished short track speed skaters of all time having won 32 world titles, including five Overall World Championships. She is the second person to have won five Overall World Titles (after Sylvie Daigle
Sylvie Daigle
Sylvie Daigle is a Canadian speed skater. She is a member of Canadian Short Track relay team that won gold medal in 1992 Winter Olympics and silver medal in 1994 Winter Olympics. She is also a five-time Overall World Champion...
of Canada) and the first to have won five consecutively. Her victory in the women's 500 m short track at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
made her China's first-ever Winter Olympics gold medalist. She added a second gold in the women's 1000 m short track at the same Games and has also won two silver and a bronze medal. After 2003 World Championships, Yang took time off competing, but came back in 2004-2005 season in lead-up to 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
where she won the bronze medal in 1000m race. She retired soon afterwards.
Naming
By coincidence, she had a contemporary on the Chinese skating team also named Yang Yang. The "(A)" identifier was used as a way to distinguish her from the other Yang Yang. Originally, this Yang Yang was known as Yang Yang (L) for "large" (大 or 'big' in Chinese is used to distinguish between younger and older persons of roughly the same age), as she is older than Yang Yang (S) (for "small"); however, she objected to the "L" identifier, changing it to "A" for "August", her birth month. Although Yang Yang (S) is now retired from competition and there is no longer a need to distinguish between the two in results, Yang Yang (A) still uses the identifier in competition, considering it a part of her identity.Retirement
Yang Yang (A) was chosen to be one of 12,000 torchbearers to carry the Olympic torch for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and on November 22, 2009, she ran a portion of the Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
legs.
Yang was elected as an IOC member in 2010 becoming mainland China's fourth IOC member. She is also a committee member of the World Anti Doping Agency, and a founding member of the Chinese Athlete Education Foundation.