Three-time Olympian excited to experience PyeongChang Games in different role

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China's 2010 Vancouver speed skating bronze medalist, Wang Beixing, now a member of the International Skating Union as a technical member, is enjoying her first Winter Olympics from behind the scenes.

In 2004, Wang won silver at the World Single Distance Championships. Later in January 2009, she won the World Sprint Championships and became the first Chinese woman to do so since Ye Qiaobo in 1993. One of her biggest accomplishments was winning the bronze medal in the 500m sprint at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Wang Beixing completes at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. /VCG Photo

Wang's Olympic memories came flooding back once she arrived in PyeongChang while seeing all the Olympic signs in the city. "This is my fourth Olympics, but at the three previous Olympics I was skater," Wang said, "but the feeling is the same, you know, you are really excited and you can’t wait."

The ex-skater believes that mental and physical strength are parts of being a competitor. "For the athletes, they will do things many times, many years, but for only a short moment in time. They put the strength, power, everything at a certain time, and just want to give all the best for that one moment."

Although Wang has been in the Olympics on three previous occasions, she has never attended an opening or closing ceremony. The athlete felt the opening gala was too close to her competition days, so she always decided against attending. Therefore, the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Games will be her first time watching the gala. "Tonight for sure I am going to attend," Wang promised.