Yang Binyu’s Olympic Debut Fueled by Resilience and a Pure Love of Speed Skating
MILAN, Italy – – Chinese speed skater Yang Binyu made her Olympic debut at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games on Saturday, finishing 17th in the women’s 3,000m event with a time of four minutes and 7.62 seconds. While the result didn’t immediately place her among the medal contenders, the very fact of her participation represents a remarkable triumph over adversity, a testament to her unwavering passion for the sport.
The 23-year-old’s journey to the Olympic oval has been anything but conventional. Just three years ago, a devastating cycling accident threatened to end her career before it truly began. A serious brain injury left her in intensive care for several days, followed by a prolonged and solitary recovery.
“I spent a long time lying in bed, unable to use my phone or communicate much with the outside world. I was truly alone with myself,” Yang recalled. It was during this period of forced isolation that she underwent a profound shift in perspective.
“I realized that results, opinions or even rewards don’t really matter. What matters is that I love it,” she explained. “As long as I am alive, returning to the oval is meaningful simply because I want to skate, not because of anything else.”
Her return to the ice just two months after the accident shocked teammates and signaled the beginning of a grueling rehabilitation process. Yang methodically rebuilt her strength, starting with simply being able to sit up, then stand, and eventually progressing to squats. Each small victory fueled her determination.
“Every day in hospital, I kept thinking about when I could return to training on the ice, because I truly love this sport,” she said. That unwavering focus ultimately propelled her back to competition at an elite level.
In early 2024, Yang achieved a personal best in the 3,000 meters at a World Cup event in the United States, a performance that reignited her confidence and passion. Her time on Saturday, while not a personal best, surpassed her gold-medal winning performance at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, demonstrating her continued progress.
Yang’s love for speed skating isn’t about accolades or external validation; it’s about the intrinsic joy of movement. She described the sensation with a physical demonstration, illustrating the forward motion of her legs. “I just love the motion itself, and the feeling of my legs moving like this,” she said.
She also challenged the perception that speed skating is a monotonous sport. “If you ever try it yourself, you’ll realize it feels a lot like cycling: a contest between you and the wind, between you and your own sensations,” she explained. “It’s actually a very interesting and engaging experience: the movement itself, the pursuit of skating faster and the feeling of constantly pushing your own limits.”
Despite being the first Chinese speed skater to compete at the Milan Games, Yang didn’t appear overwhelmed by the pressure. “Pressure is motivation. It’s like telling myself to keep fighting. What I focus on all the time is executing my own strategy,” she stated.
She approached the competition with a quiet determination, choosing to warm up away from the main activity on the oval. Adding a touch of personal flair, Yang sported a cat ear-shaped hairband, a tribute to her two feline companions and a hopeful charm for future races.
Looking ahead, Yang remains focused on continuous improvement. “I will do my best in the next sessions. My goal is to skate with style, skate with spirit and just skate as myself,” she said. Her Olympic journey, already defined by resilience and a profound love for the sport, is far from over.
Yang Binyu’s story is a powerful reminder that the pursuit of athletic excellence is often intertwined with personal battles and the unwavering belief in one’s passion. Her presence in Milan is not just a representation of China’s speed skating program, but a symbol of the human spirit’s capacity to overcome adversity and find joy in the simple act of movement.
