Olympic champ Wang Meng named head coach of Chinese speed skating team

Four-time Olympic champion Wang Meng has been named as the new coach of China's National Speed Skating team as preparations continue for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Wang started short track speed skating in 1994 when she was nine. In 1998, she entered Heilongjiang Provincial Sports School, which is affiliated to Harbin Institute of Physical Education.

The 33-year-old is one of the most decorated short track speed skaters of all time after winning gold at the 2006 games in Turin and then three more in Vancouver four years later.

Wang was considered a strong contender in all short track speed skating events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. She won the gold medal in the 500m event in which she had previously been dominant and was considered to be the favorite to win.

She set three Olympic records in the 500m heats, while in the finals she led from start to finish accumulating a huge lead ahead of all other competitors. In the 1,500m race, she failed to finish after having lost her footing and crashing into the barricades. However, she came back to win the 3,000m relay with the Chinese team and the 1,000m solo race. She ended up snatching three gold medals, which makes her the most successful Winter Olympian ever in China.

The new National Speed Skating Team will select athletes from an expanded pool and scout talent for short track and long track events. The target of the team in the upcoming season is to participate in international tournaments like World Cup tournaments, the World Championships and the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne in preparation for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

(CGTN)