Li Yan (speed skater)
Encyclopedia
Li Yan is a female Chinese short track speed skater
and coach. She competed in the 1988
and 1992
Winter Olympics for China
. She has coached for Slovakia
, the United States
and China
.
Province. She attended school on the Wenquanling collective farm, which had a speed skating team. From that team she was recruited to attend a sports school in Jiamusi in 1979. According to her coach in Jiamusi, He Peicheng, Li trained very hard and could withstand extremely cold conditions. "She would cry but she would finish all of her exercises." In 1982, she finished second at a national youth speed skating competition.
Li joined China's national short track speed skating team in 1987. In 1988, when short track speed skating
first appeared at the Winter Olympics in Calgary
as a demonstration sport
, she competed and won the 1000m and finished third in the 500m and 1500m events
.
In 1992, after short skating sport became an official Olympic sport in Alberville
, she won the silver medal in the 500m event
, finishing 0.04 s behind Cathy Turner
of the United States. It was the third ever medal for China at the Winter Olympic Games. Li was also a member of the Chinese women's short track relay team that finished eighth.
Li retired from the sport after 14 years and attended Dongbei University of Finance and Economics
in Dalian
where she majored in international finance
. She said she picked the major because the international nature of the subject matter meant meant she could study English and finance was a popular major at the time. After graduation, she worked for the Dalian tax bureau for four and half years.
. Other Chinese coaches had passed up the opportunity, but Li agreed "after thinking about it for 10 seconds." She became the coach of the Slovakian national coach in 1999 and led the team to qualify for the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City.
After the 2002 Winter Olympics, she became the coach for the Austrian shot track speed skating team. Less one year later, in 2003 April, she became a coach for the United States short track speed skating team. In 2005, she was named as the Coach of the Year by U.S. Speedskating after guiding the U.S. men's team to an eighth place finish at the World Cup and the women's team to a sixth place finish. The team combined to win 30 World Cup medals. At the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, Li coached Apolo Anton Ohno
to gold in the men's 500m
.
In 2006 she was hired to coach the short track speed skating team in her native China. She helped refocus the talented but temperamental Wang Meng and developed a young star in Zhou Yang. At the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver, Wang won the 500m
and 1000m
events, Zhou took the 1500m
, and the Chinese women's team won the 3000m short track relay
, after the South Korean team
was disqualified for impeding. The Chinese women's team completed an unprecedented sweep of all four short track speed skating events at the Olympics. The four gold medals her team won made Li the most decorated Chinese coach in one Olympic games.
Following the games, she was awarded a four-year contract extension as coach of the Chinese women's short track speed skating team.
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 coach. She competed in the 1988
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
and 1992
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
Winter Olympics for China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. She has coached for Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Athletic Career
She was born in the city of Mudanjiang in HeilongjiangHeilongjiang
For the river known in Mandarin as Heilong Jiang, see Amur River' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. "Heilongjiang" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑...
Province. She attended school on the Wenquanling collective farm, which had a speed skating team. From that team she was recruited to attend a sports school in Jiamusi in 1979. According to her coach in Jiamusi, He Peicheng, Li trained very hard and could withstand extremely cold conditions. "She would cry but she would finish all of her exercises." In 1982, she finished second at a national youth speed skating competition.
Li joined China's national short track speed skating team in 1987. In 1988, when short track speed skating
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...
first appeared at the Winter Olympics in Calgary
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
as a demonstration sport
Demonstration sport
A demonstration sport is a sport which is played to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also at other sporting events.Demonstration sports were officially introduced in 1912 Summer Olympics, when Sweden decided to include glima, traditional Icelandic wrestling, in the...
, she competed and won the 1000m and finished third in the 500m and 1500m events
Short track speed skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Short track speed skating was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Events were competed at the Max Bell Arena in Calgary...
.
In 1992, after short skating sport became an official Olympic sport in Alberville
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
, she won the silver medal in the 500m event
Short track speed skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympic Games Short Track resultsThe venue was the Halle Olympique located next to the Théâtre des Cérémonies, a couple of kilometers west of downtown Albertville...
, finishing 0.04 s behind Cathy Turner
Cathy Turner
Cathy Ann Turner is an American short track speed skater, who won gold medals at the 1992 Winter Olympics and 1994 Winter Olympics....
of the United States. It was the third ever medal for China at the Winter Olympic Games. Li was also a member of the Chinese women's short track relay team that finished eighth.
Li retired from the sport after 14 years and attended Dongbei University of Finance and Economics
Dongbei University of Finance and Economics
Dongbei University of Finance & Economics is a state level university in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.Located in the northeast of metropolitan Dalian and originally established in 1952 as Dongbei Institute of Finance & Economics , it is one of Dalian's oldest modern universities, and it is...
in Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
where she majored in international finance
International finance
International finance is the branch of economics that studies the dynamics of exchange rates, foreign investment, global financial system, and how these affect international trade. It also studies international projects, international investments and capital flows, and trade deficits. It includes...
. She said she picked the major because the international nature of the subject matter meant meant she could study English and finance was a popular major at the time. After graduation, she worked for the Dalian tax bureau for four and half years.
Coaching Career
After four and half years at the tax bureau, she received a telephone call from a former coach about a short track coaching exchange program with SlovakiaSlovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. Other Chinese coaches had passed up the opportunity, but Li agreed "after thinking about it for 10 seconds." She became the coach of the Slovakian national coach in 1999 and led the team to qualify for 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...
in Salt Lake City.
After the 2002 Winter Olympics, she became the coach for the Austrian shot track speed skating team. Less one year later, in 2003 April, she became a coach for the United States short track speed skating team. In 2005, she was named as the Coach of the Year by U.S. Speedskating after guiding the U.S. men's team to an eighth place finish at the World Cup and the women's team to a sixth place finish. The team combined to win 30 World Cup medals. At the 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...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Li coached Apolo Anton Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno is an American short track speed skating competitor and an eight-time medalist in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time....
to gold in the men's 500m
Short track speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's 500 metres
-Heats:The first round was held on 22 February. There were seven heats of three or four skaters each, with the top two finishers and the two fastest third-place skaters moving on to the quarterfinals.Heat 1Heat 2Heat 3Heat 4Heat 5Heat 6Heat 7...
.
In 2006 she was hired to coach the short track speed skating team in her native China. She helped refocus the talented but temperamental Wang Meng and developed a young star in Zhou Yang. At the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver, Wang won the 500m
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 500 metres
The women's 500 metres in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics began on 13 February, with the final held on 17 February, at the Pacific Coliseum.-Heats:-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Final B :...
and 1000m
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 1000 metres
The women's 1000 metres in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics began on 24 February, with the final held on 26 February, at the Pacific Coliseum.-Records:...
events, Zhou took the 1500m
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 1500 metres
The women's 1500 metres in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on 20 February, at the Pacific Coliseum.-Heats:-Semifinals:-Final B :-Final A :-External links:...
, and the Chinese women's team won the 3000m short track relay
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 3000 metre relay
The finals in the women's 3000 metre relay in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics took place on 24 February, at the Pacific Coliseum. In the final, the event was won by the Chinese team, which set a new world record...
, after the South Korean team
South Korea at the 2010 Winter Olympics
South Korea participated as the Republic of Korea at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was their best performance at the Winter Olympics to date, ranking 5th on the medal table...
was disqualified for impeding. The Chinese women's team completed an unprecedented sweep of all four short track speed skating events at the Olympics. The four gold medals her team won made Li the most decorated Chinese coach in one Olympic games.
Following the games, she was awarded a four-year contract extension as coach of the Chinese women's short track speed skating team.