Chinese · Qitaihe, Heilongjiang, China · Born 9 July 1985Chinese short track speed skater and the most decorated Winter Olympian in Chinese history, who dominated the 500m for nearly a decade before her career was cut short by a serious ankle injury.
Wang Meng was born on 9 July 1985 (also reported as 1984) in Qitaihe, Heilongjiang, and was spotted by a local coach at age ten for her agile footwork, beginning short track training in early 1995. She made her first World Championship appearance in 2003, winning the 3,000m relay gold alongside veteran Yang Yang, and became the world's top female 500m skater by the end of the decade. At the 2006 Turin Olympics, Wang won gold in the 500m, silver in the 1,000m, and bronze in the 1,500m, though her team was disqualified from the relay for a foul against a Canadian skater. She dominated the 2008 and 2009 World Championships with eight titles between them, entering the 2010 Vancouver Olympics as the overwhelming favorite. She duly delivered, winning the 500m and 1,000m individually and anchoring China's 3,000m relay to gold, becoming the most successful Winter Olympian in Chinese history with three golds at a single Games, despite crashing out of the 1,500m. Wang's career was derailed after a 2011 curfew violation and physical altercation with a team manager led to her suspension from the national team, and a subsequent training collision caused a severe ankle fracture that ruled her out of the 2014 Sochi Olympics; she retired shortly after. She has since become a popular television commentator known for her passionate, colloquial style, memorably covering China's home Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022, where her commentary went viral for its enthusiasm and technical insight.
Becoming the most decorated Winter Olympian in Chinese history by winning three gold medals at the 2010 Vancouver Games
How They Played
Explosive sprint specialist known for a dominant, front-running racing style particularly suited to the 500m distance
Lasting Impact
Remembered as one of the greatest short track sprinters ever, whose dominance of the 500m defined an era, and who has since become a beloved broadcaster known for her passionate commentary
Career Honours
- 4x Olympic Gold Medalist
- Most decorated Chinese Winter Olympian ever (4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
- 18x World Championship Gold Medalist
- 2008 and 2009 Overall World Champion
Chinese Athletes