Former short-track coach Li named as head coach of China's speed skating team

BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Li Yan, president of the Chinese Skating Association, has been appointed as head coach of the country's speed skating team, China's winter sports administrative center confirmed on Wednesday.

The 55-year-old was formerly the boss of China's short-track speed skating team, which won four gold medals at Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, two at Sochi 2014 and one at PyeongChang 2018 under her reign.

Li stepped down as the head coach of the short track team in May 2019 when the national squads of speed skating and short track speed skating were merged into one.

China's best result in Olympic speed skating competitions came in 2014 in Sochi, where Zhang Hong won the women's 1000-meter gold.