Yang Yang (badminton)

Yang Yang
杨阳
Personal information
CountryChina
Born (1963-12-08) 8 December 1963 (age 59)
Nanjing, Jiangsu
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
HandednessLeft
Men's singles
Highest ranking1
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  China
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1987 Beijing Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 1989 Jakarta Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1985 Calgary Men's singles
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1988 Bangkok Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 1989 Guangzhou Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 1984 Jakarta Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 1987 Kuala Lumpur Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1985 Jakarta Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1986 Jakarta Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Jakarta Men's singles
Sudirman Cup
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Jakarta Mixed team
Thomas Cup
Gold medal – first place 1986 Jakarta Men's team
Gold medal – first place 1988 Kuala Lumpur Men's team
Gold medal – first place 1990 Tokyo Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1984 Kuala Lumpur Men's team
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1990 Beijing Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1986 Seoul Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 1990 Beijing Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 1986 Seoul Men's team
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place 1985 Kuala Lumpur Men's team
Gold medal – first place 1987 Semarang Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1985 Kuala Lumpur Men's singles

Yang Yang (simplified Chinese: 杨阳; traditional Chinese: 楊陽; born December 8, 1963 in Nanjing, Jiangsu) is a former Chinese badminton player.

He is the first men's singles player in the world to have won two World Badminton Championships consecutively (1987 and 1989). He also won the men's singles gold medal when badminton was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He possessed great agility, quick footwork, accurate power, and coolness under pressure, and is widely regarded as one of the finest singles players in the history of the sport.

Career

Yang began training in 1975, when he was 12 years old. He was recruited by the Chinese national team in 1983. He won his first Chinese national championship title in 1984. In 1985, he won the Hong Kong Open by defeating Morten Frost. In 1986, he won the Japan Open and the Hong Kong Open for the second straight year, and also helped China to regain the Thomas Cup (men's world team championship) from Indonesia by winning key matches. In the late 80s he dominated international singles play, winning the World Championships over Morten Frost in 1987 and over young Ardy Wiranata in 1989. In 1988 he also won the Olympic exhibition event in Seoul (badminton became an official Olympic sport at the next games in Barcelona). In 1989 he added the venerable All-England Championships to his tally; thus, by twenty-five, he captured all the titles by which "greatness" in the sport is generally measured.

China's Golden Generation

As a member of China's golden badminton generation of the 1980s which included the almost equally brilliant singles stars Zhao Jianhua and Xiong Guobao, Yang Yang played an important role in making China the major world badminton superpower. His play was instrumental in China's consecutive Thomas Cup (men's world team) titles in 1986, 1988, and 1990.

Retirement

In 1991, he retired as a player and started coaching in Malaysia. In the very next year, he guided Malaysia to its first Thomas Cup victory in 25 years, the only occasion since 1967 in which neither Indonesia nor China has won the cup. He then stayed in Malaysia to develop his business for badminton equipment. He returned to China in year 2000, and opened a badminton club named after himself in Nanjing.

Achievements

Olympic Games (exhibition)

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1988 Seoul National University Gymnasium, Seoul, South Korea Indonesia Icuk Sugiarto 15–4, 15–10 Gold

World Championships

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1985 Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, Canada Denmark Morten Frost 8–15, 5–15 Bronze Bronze
1987 Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China Denmark Morten Frost 15–2, 13–15, 15–12 Gold Gold
1989 Senayan Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia Indonesia Ardy Wiranata 15–10, 2–15, 15–5 Gold Gold

World Cup

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1984 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia China Han Jian 12–15, 10–15 Silver Silver
1985 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Denmark Morten Frost 15–12, 14–17, 10–15 Bronze Bronze
1986 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Denmark Morten Frost 9–15, 1–15 Bronze Bronze
1987 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia China Zhao Jianhua 15–6, 2–15, 12–15 Silver Silver
1988 National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand China Zhao Jianhua 15–5, 15–6 Gold Gold
1989 Guangzhou Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China Malaysia Foo Kok Keong 17–14, 15–6 Gold Gold
1990 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia China Wu Wenkai 12–15, 9–15 Bronze Bronze

Asian Games

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1986 Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea China Zhao Jianhua 9–15, 16–17 Silver Silver
1990 Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China China Zhao Jianhua 10–15, 11–15 Silver Silver

Asian Championships

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1985 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia China Zhao Jianhua 10-15, 15–5, 6–15 Silver Silver

IBF World Grand Prix (9 titles, 1 runners-up)

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1985 Hong Kong Open Denmark Morten Frost 15–10, 15–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1986 Japan Open Denmark Ib Frederiksen 5–15, 15–6, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1986 Hong Kong Open Indonesia Icuk Sugiarto 6–15, 15–8, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1986 World Grand Prix Finals Denmark Morten Frost 18–13, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1987 Scandinavian Open Indonesia Icuk Sugiarto Walkover 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1987 Malaysia Open Denmark Steen Fladberg 4–15, 15–10, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1987 Indonesia Open Indonesia Eddy Kurniawan 15–6, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1988 Hong Kong Open Indonesia Icuk Sugiarto 15–7, 1–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1989 Japan Open Malaysia Foo Kok Keong 15–2, 15–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1989 All England Open Denmark Morten Frost 15–6, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

Sources


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