China's Yang Yang got off to a slow start in the 500-meter speedskating finals at the World Short Track Olympic Qualifier Friday. But she passed two people to finish second, in spite of a broken skate blade.
The fact that Yang Yang had already been eliminated in the semifinals made her performance even more interesting.
Confused?
I'm just getting started.
Is there a copy of "The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Names" in the house?
When the Winter Games arrive in February, they could include a headache of Olympian proportions. That's because China's speedskating team has two world-level skaters with exactly the same name. I'm not talking about having the same last name, as in two Petersons, either. Nor am I referencing skaters with identical names, as in two John Petersons.
This is the story of two skaters from the same country with identical first and last names, front and back.
It would be like having two American ski racers named Picabo Picabo. Imagine Bob Costas saying, "And in the figure skating competition, Kwan Kwan has won the gold medal, while teammate Kwan Kwan finished third."
Think of Yogi Bear's trusty side kick Boo-Boo.
Both Yangs are contenders in the 500-, 1000- and 1500-meter events and both could win medals in Salt Lake next February. China is a world power in the sport. The Yangs could also compete on the 3000-meter relay together.
The name mix-up isn't a problem in China, despite the fact that each is 5-foot-3, 132 pounds and they are only 13 months apart in age. The name Yang is common in that country.
"In speedskating," says one Yang, "most people know the difference."
Just because their countrymen and fellow skaters know the difference doesn't mean everyone does. In the harsh light of the results sheets, printed in English, they look and sound exactly the same. To avoid confusion, the racers added the initials "A" and "S" in 1995.
Yang Yang (A) was originally referred to as Yang Yang "large" or "older." But she didn't like the insinuation, so she arbitrarily chose "A" as her initial. Meanwhile, the younger Yang Yang used the initial "S" because she was the "smaller" or "younger" of the two. Hence, Yang Yang (A) and Yang Yang (S).
Clear as roofing tar, right?
If everyone could read Chinese characters, there wouldn't be a problem. Though their names are pronounced identically in English, when written in Chinese characters there is no confusion. Yang Yang (A) means "flying" or "waving" as a flag. Yang Yang (S) means "sunshine."
But sunshine and waving flags don't translate into the computers that spit out results.
Yang Yang (A) ? the silver medalist on Friday ? has gone on to dominate world competition and is the odds-on favorite to win gold in the longer events in the Olympics. A relay silver medalist at Nagano, she has been the overall World Championships winner each of the past five years.
Yang Yang (S) has fared better in the 500 meters. She won three medals in Nagano and finished second to Yang Yang (A) in the 2000-2001 World Cup overall standings.
Despite the aggravation of adding initials to their names, neither says she minds. This has been going on for more than seven years. "We're good friends," says Yang Yang (A), the one who speaks English.
If they end up side-by-side on the medals stand in February, all the better. "I hope so," adds Yang Yang (A). "I'll try."
After all, they both have a name to live up to.
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