The 24th Winter Olympic Games will kick off in Beijing on February 4, 2022.

The Sports Department of Chinanews.com launched a series of columns "Hundred Questions about Winter Olympics", aimed at popularizing Winter Olympic knowledge, answering hot questions, sharing interesting stories about ice and snow, and helping everyone have a better watching experience during the Beijing Winter Olympics.

  Issue 2: Winter Olympics 100 Questions | Who is China's first Winter Olympic gold medal winner?

  In 1980, the 13th Winter Olympic Games, the Chinese delegation sent 28 athletes to participate.

This is the first time that China sent a team to participate in the Winter Olympics after the IOC restored the legal status of the Chinese Olympic Committee in November 1979.

Since then, Chinese ice and snow athletes have written new stories on the arena.

So, do you know who is the athlete who won the first Winter Olympic gold medal for the Chinese delegation in history?

  This is a name that everyone will not be unfamiliar with: Yang Yang.

On February 16, 2002, Salt Lake City, USA, the short track speed skating women's 500m final of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Yang Yang won the championship.

To achieve the "zero breakthrough" of the gold medal in the Winter Olympics for the Chinese delegation.

Image source: Visual China

  Bringing memories back to 2002, the 19th Winter Olympics was held in Salt Lake City, USA.

In the women's 500m short track speed skating final on February 16, Yang Yang won the championship in one fell swoop.

  Among the finalists, the Bulgarian star Radanova is strong, and she has been the world record holder in the women's 500m event.

  After the starting gun was fired, Yang Yang took the initiative, taking the first place at the first corner.

Since then, she has always controlled the inner lane to prevent the opponent from surpassing, and gradually expanded the lead, and eventually crossed the finish line first.

  Yang Yang won the championship with a time of 44.187 seconds and achieved the "zero breakthrough" in the history of the Chinese Winter Olympics.

Her teammate Wang Chunlu won a precious bronze medal.

On February 16, 2002, Salt Lake City, USA, the short track speed skating women's 500m final of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Yang Yang won the championship.

To achieve the "zero breakthrough" of the gold medal in the Winter Olympics for the Chinese delegation.

Image source: Visual China

  After the game, Yang Yang raised his arms and shouted, and the two Chinese girls hugged each other. The coach Xin Qingshan on the sidelines also celebrated this historical moment with the two lovers.

  After that, the two athletes raised the five-star red flag and circled the field, enjoying the hard-won glory.

  Yang Yang, born in 1976, has an innate talent and love for skating since he was a child.

She entered the amateur sports school in her hometown when she was 8 years old and started a journey of ice and snow.

  At the age of 14, Yang Yang was selected by coach Jin Meiyu of the Provincial Sports School.

After training, she always took the initiative to increase her training, and her performance quickly improved.

On February 16, 2002, Salt Lake City, USA, the short track speed skating women's 500m final of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Yang Yang won the championship.

To achieve the "zero breakthrough" of the gold medal in the Winter Olympics for the Chinese delegation.

Image source: Visual China

  In 1991, Yang Yang won his first national championship.

In the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, she ushered in her debut in the Winter Olympics.

However, in two individual competitions, Yang Yang, who was all convicted of fouls, returned unfailingly.

But she did not sink into this, and after returning to China, she further summarized the problem and improved herself.

  It was this persistence that allowed Yang Yang to help the Chinese delegation achieve the "zero breakthrough" for the gold medal, and the "Volunteer March" played for the first time in the Winter Olympics.

(Liu Xingchen)