Winter Olympic Champion Yang Yang Gives a Lecture to CWU Students

Yang Yang, China's first-ever Winter Olympic gold winner and teacher at China Women's University (CWU), gives a lecture to students of the CWU on October 16, 2020. [China Women's University]

Yang Yang, China's first-ever Winter Olympic gold winner, won 59 world championship medals, the highest number ever of any Chinese athlete. She was also the first Chinese athlete to be elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee. Yang became a teacher at the CWU in 2019.

Yang gave a lecture titled "Go Beyond Yourself" to students at the CWU on October 16.

Yang Yang shares her experiences and stories with students at the CWU. [China Women's University]

In her lecture, Yang shared her stories before and after playing for the national team, including the difficult journey from an ordinary athlete to a champion and the deep friendship among team members.

Yang also shared with students the frustration of failure, the huge pressure she suffered and the confusion she faced after retirement. She told the students that what behind every success or failure are countless hardships and efforts, the unyielding spirit in the face of dangers and difficulties and the sport spirit of never giving up and going beyond oneself.

A student interacts with Yang Yang during the lecture. [China Women's University]

The participating students actively interacted with Yang. One who has loved short track speed skating for 10 years excitedly shared her experience of how she went through the difficult time during her third year of high school — by watching short track speed skating competition videos every day.

Yang hoped that her lecture can help students keep a positive attitude and encourage them to move forward when they encounter difficulties in their study and life, so as to go beyond themselves.

(Source: China Women's University/Translated and edited by Women of China)