Sui Wenjing

In February 2011, the Associated Press published an article that raised the question of changing the age of Chinese athletes, including Sui Wenjing and her partner Han Tsong . According to the biography on the official site of the ISU, the date of birth of the athlete is July 18, 1995, while the official website of the China Figure Skating Association has a different date - May 7, 1997. This means that the athlete is only 12 years old and according to the age qualification of the ISU she did not have the right to participate in the junior competitions of the season 2009-2010 and the adult series Grand Prix 2010-2011. The age of her partner is also in doubt. According to the ISU biography, his date of birth is August 6, 1992, while the official website of the China Figure Skating Association states that he was born in March 1989. And this means that he did not have the right to participate in the series of the Junior Grand Prix of the 2010-11 season, since he is older than the permissible age limit for the partner. ^[3]

Early years

In their international debut season, Sui Wenjing and Han Tsong won all the competitions in which they participated. They became the first Chinese Junior World Champions since 2003 , after the victory of Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao .

Season 2014/2015

In the championship of the four continents in Seoul, the skaters performed unsuccessfully; took fourth place ^[4] . Prior to that, they twice performed at the championship of four continents and both times were the first. After a short program, athletes were in third place at the home world championships in Shanghai . However, they perfectly skated arbitrary improving their previous achievements both in it and in total, and becoming the best home couple at the first championship in China ^[5] . In mid-April, at the final start of the season at the team world championships in Japan, the couple successfully performed in both types of programs ^{[6] [7]} .

Season 2015/2016

The couple began the new season in the USA at the Skate America Grand Prix series . In a difficult struggle, the skaters managed to win first place ^[8] . Two weeks later, they performed at the home stage of the Audi China Grand Prix . Athletes fought hard for first place. They were in the lead after a short program, but took second overall place, while previous sports achievements in total were improved ^[9] . They also made their way to the number of participants in the Grand Prix finals for the third time. Where they won the bronze. A week before the start of the continental championship in training, the skater fell from the fourth shot and hit her head on the ice; leading to blindness in one eye. However, the couple was able to become champions for the third time. At the beginning of April in Boston at the World Championships, the Chinese couple turned out to be the best of the Asian ones, the skaters were in the lead after a short program, but lost in the arbitrary and won silver medals ^[10] . At the same time, they improved all their previous sports achievements.

Season 2016/2017

In the spring, the partner began to restore health. Due to health problems, her couple missed almost the entire pre-Olympic season. The Chinese skaters began the season only in mid-February 2017 in South Korea at the continental championship , where they were sent by their federation without selection in the national championship; and to the surprise of many specialists, they were able to improve their previous achievements in the amount and free program. They also became champions for the fourth time ^[11] . At the end of March, Chinese greenhouses appeared at the world championships in Helsinki , where they became champions for the first time ^[12] . At the same time, they were able to contribute to the conquest of three trips for their country to the Olympic Games and improved all their previous achievements.

Season 2017/2018

The Chinese couple started the new Olympic season at the Beijing Grand Prix series at home , where they confidently finished with the winners ^[13] , while they managed to slightly improve their previous achievement in the free program. A week later, the athletes took part in the Japanese stage of the Grand Prix series, where they finished as winners, while improving their previous achievements in total and free program; where along the way set a world record ^[14] . This allowed them to reach the Grand Prix Final . At the Final in Nagoya , in a bitter struggle, the pair lost first place to the German skaters ^[15] . The pair withdrew from the national championship, and then from the continental championship. In mid-February 2018, competitions began in Gangneung and in the individual tournament at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang , the couple took the lead after a short program. However, they finished second and won the silver of the Olympic Games. Athletes improved their previous athletic achievements in total and short program.

(with Han Tsun)

• Sui and Han (English) on the official website of the International Union of Skaters .