Yu Jing

Reason for choosing this sport

Her gymnastics team disbanded and a family friend recommended speed skating to her. Her parents encouraged her to pursue the sport as a way of improving her health.

Most influential person in career	Her father. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2017)
Hero / Idol	Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2017)

When and where did you begin this sport?

She took up the sport at age nine in Harbin, People's Republic of China.

Hobbies	Listening to music, spending time with her pets, watching television, surfing the internet. (QQ profile, 20 Nov 2015)
Nicknames	Speed Skating Bolt, The Flying Woman on Ice, Eastern Lightning (enorth.com.cn, 09 Feb 2012)

www.facebook.com/jing.yu.942

Injuries	She missed the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi after injuring her hip on the eve of the event. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2017) She suffered from an injury in her waist area in 2009, which took her at least one year to recover from. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2017)
Memorable sporting achievement	Winning gold at the world sprint championships in 2012 and 2014. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2017, 28 Feb 2016)

weibo.com/u/1959102524

Sporting philosophy / motto	"Stick to your beliefs, and don't give up your dreams." (Athlete, 13 Nov 2017)
Awards and honours	In 2014 she was named an Elite Athlete of International Class by the General Administration of Sport of China. (sport.gov.cn, 30 Oct 2014)
Milestones	At the 2012 World Sprint Championships in Calgary, AB, Canada, she became the first female speed skater to complete the 500m in under 37 seconds. (isu.org, 30 Jan 2012; dailyhouse.com, 30 Jan 2012)