Yankun Zhao

Injuries	He sustained a concussion after crashing on the ice during the 2021/22 season. (cbc.ca, 19 May 2023)
Famous relatives	His mother Wang Xiuli represented the People's Republic of China in speed skating at the Olympic Winter Games in 1984 and 1992. She has also served as a coach of the Canadian speed skating team. (SportsDeskOnline, 11 Mar 2024; cbc.ca, 19 May 2023)

Reason for choosing this sport

His mother is Wang Xiuli. She represented the People's Republic of China in speed skating and has also coached the sport at an elite level. "I remember seeing a documentary about her as an athlete, and I was like, 'Wow, she's so cool. I need to be this cool too'. There's a great amount of inspiration from my mother. To continue her legacy is something I really want to do."

Most influential person in career	His mother. (cbc.ca, 19 May 2023)
Hero / Idol	Canadian speed skater Laurent Dubreuil. (Instagram profile, 07 Mar 2024)

Name of coach	Remmelt Eldering [national], CAN
When and where did you begin this sport?	He began skating at age two and started training competitively at age four.

instagram.com/zhao.yk_/