Wang Meng (speed skater)

For other uses, see Wang Meng (disambiguation).

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wang.

Wang Meng (王濛)

Personal information
Born	April 10, 1985 (1985-04-10) (age 26) Qitaihe, Heilongjiang, China
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
Weight	58 kg (130 lb; 9.1 st)
World Cup wins	2004 Overall 2008 Overall 2009 Overall
World championship wins	2008 Overall 2009 Overall
Sport
Country	China
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	500 m: 42.609 (2008) 1000 m: 1:29.495 (2008) 1500 m: 2:20.876 (2005) 3000 m: 5:11.515(2004)
Medal record Women’s short-track speed skating Competitor for  China Olympic Games Gold 2006 Turin 500 m Gold 2010 Vancouver 500 m Gold 2010 Vancouver 1000 m Gold 2010 Vancouver 3000 m relay Silver 2006 Turin 1000 m Bronze 2006 Turin 1500 m World Championships Gold 2010 Sofia 500 m Gold 2010 Sofia 1000 m Gold 2009 Vienna Overall Gold 2009 Vienna 500 m Gold 2009 Vienna 1000 m Gold 2009 Vienna 3000 m relay Gold 2008 Gangneung Overall Gold 2008 Gangneung 500 m Gold 2008 Gangneung 1000 m Gold 2008 Gangneung 1500 m Gold 2006 Minneapolis 500 m Gold 2006 Minneapolis 3000 m relay Gold 2004 Gothenburg 500 m Gold 2003 Warsaw 3000 m relay Gold 2009 Heerenveen Team Gold 2008 Harbin Team Silver 2010 Sofia Overall Silver 2006 Minneapolis Overall Silver 2006 Minneapolis 1000 m Silver 2006 Minneapolis 1500 m Silver 2006 Minneapolis 3000 m Silver 2005 Beijing 500 m Silver 2005 Beijing 3000 m relay Silver 2004 Gothenburg Overall Silver 2004 Gothenburg 1500 m Silver 2004 Gothenburg 3000 m relay Silver 2006 Montréal Team Silver 2005 Chuncheon Team Silver 2004 St. Petersburg Team Silver 2003 Sofia Team Bronze 2008 Gangneung 3000 m relay Bronze 2005 Beijing 1000 m Bronze 2005 Beijing 1500 m World Junior Championships Gold 2002 500 m Bronze 2002 1500 m Bronze 2002 1500 m super final

Wang Meng (Chinese: 王濛; pinyin: Wáng Méng; born April 10, 1985 in Qitaihe, Heilongjiang)^[1] is a Chinese short track speed skater. She is a four-time Olympic Champion and 2008 and 2009 Overall World Champion. She is the most decorated Chinese Winter Olympic athlete ever with four Olympic gold medals, a silver and a bronze. Wang won gold in the 500 m event, silver in the 1000 m and bronze in the 1500 event at the 2006 Winter Olympics. She won the 500 m and 1000 m gold medals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and added a third gold medal in the 3000 m relay with the China team. She also holds the world and Olympic records in the 500 m distance and the 3000 m relay. Wang has also won 14 gold medals at the World Championships. She is one of the most dominant short track speed skaters of all time.

Early life

Wang Meng started short track speed skating when she was nine in 1994. Her hero is English footballer David Beckham.^[2]

2010 Winter Olympics

Wang Meng (centre) at the flower ceremony for the ladies' 500 metres short track speed skating event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Wang Meng was considered a strong contender for all the short track speed skating events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Wang won the gold medal in the 500 m event where she has been a dominant and was considered the heavy favourite. She set three Olympic records in the 500 m heats and in the finals she led from start to finish accumulating a huge lead between herself and the other athletes. In the 1,500 metre race where she is usually less dominating, she failed to finish on top after losing her footing and crashing into the barricade. However, she came back to win the 3,000 metre relay with the Chinese team and the 1,000 metre race. She finished with three gold medals making her the most successful Winter Olympian ever for China.

Honors and medals

Olympics

• Gold in 3000 m relay in 2010
• Gold in 1500 m in 2010
• Gold in 500 m in 2010
• Gold in 500 m in 2006
• Silver in 1000 m in 2006
• Bronze in 1500 m in 2006

World rankings

• 1st in 500 m in 2005-2006
• 1st in 1000 m in 2005-2006
• 18th in 1500 m in 2005-2006
• 15th overall in 2005-2006

World Championship

• Gold in 1000 m in 2010
• Gold in 500 m in 2010
• 1st overall in 2008
• Gold in 500 m in 2008
• Gold in 1000 m in 2008
• Gold in 1500 m in 2008
• Bronze in 3000 m relay in 2008

• 4th overall in 2005
• Silver in 500 m in 2005
• Silver in 3000 m relay in 2005
• Bronze in 1000 m in 2005
• Bronze in 1500 m in 2005

• 2nd overall in 2004
• Gold in 500 m in 2004
• Silver in 1500 m in 2004
• Silver in 3000 m relay in 2004

• Gold in 3000 m relay in 2003

2011 assault incident

On June 7, 2011 a group of skaters including Wang Meng, Zhou Yang and Liu Qiuhong were returning to their hotel in Lijiang, Yunnan after excessive drinking. The were shouting and singing loudly in violation of the city's nighttime regulations. Following police report a group of policemen intervened and tried to take them to police office. Fighting then broke out between policemen and the skaters, one of whom provoked the fighting. The injured were then sent to the hospital.^[3][4] Wang Meng said there is no justice in China.^[3] During the incident the media was also not allowed to take any pictures.^[4]

See also

• Wong Kam-po assault incident

References

1. ^ "Biography/Profile of Wang Meng", Chinese Olympic Committee (in Chinese)
2. ^ http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-short-track-speed-skating/athletes/meng-wang_ath1016624fl.html
3. ^ ^{a b} http://www.am730.com.hk/article.php?article=59443&d=1499
4. ^ ^{a b} http://sports.163.com/11/0609/08/763I9EBS00051CAQ.html

External links

• Scoreboard biography
• NBCOlympics.com biography

Persondata
Name	Wang, Meng
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 10, 1985
Place of birth	Qitaihe, Heilongjiang, China
Date of death
Place of death