Yan Han (figure skater)

Career

The only athlete in his family, Yan started skating at the age of 5. He trained in Harbin until he relocated to Beijing in early 2012.

2009–2010 season: Junior Grand Prix debut

Yan made his ISU Junior Grand Prix debut in the 2009–2010 season. He won gold at the event in Turkey, his only assignment that season. He did not compete at the 2010 World Junior Championships due to a fracture injury.

2010–2011 season

Yan was assigned to the 2010–11 ISU Junior Grand Prix events in Austria and Czech Republic. After winning his two JGP events, he qualified to the Junior Grand Prix Final, which was held in Beijing, China. Yan took the silver medal in his home country. He ended the season by placing 6th in his debut at the 2011 World Junior Championships in Korea.

2011–2012 season: Youth Olympic and World Junior titles

In the 2011–2012 season, Yan began attempting a 3A and a 4T in competition. After winning gold at his JGP events in Austria and Italy, Yan qualified for the 2011–12 Junior Grand Prix Final. At the event, held in Quebec City, Canada, he won the silver medal despite having a fever. He became the 2012 Youth Olympics champion in Innsbruck, Austria.

At the 2012 World Junior Championships, Yan became the first skater representing China to win the men's junior world title.

2012–2013 season: First medal at Four Continents

Yan started his season at the 2012 JGP Slovenia, where he finished 5th after a shattering fall on the quadruple toe loop in the free program. He then won silver, behind Maxim Kovtun at the 2012 JGP Croatia. He did not advance to the JGP Final.

Yan took silver at the 2013 Chinese Championships. He made his senior international debut at the 2013 Four Continents Championships, where he took the bronze medal. Yan ended the season placing 9th in the men's discipline and 5th with Team China at the 2013 World Team Trophy. He then flew to Toronto to work with Lori Nichol for two new programs for the upcoming season.

2013–2014 season: Grand Prix debut

Yan's senior Grand Prix debut came at the 2013 Cup of China. He placed first in the short setting a personal best score of 90.14 points and placed second in the free winning the gold medal overall, ahead of Maxim Kovtun. Yan set a personal best overall score of 245.62 points. Yan finished fourth at the 2013 Trophée Éric Bompard, competing with a fever that he developed the day before his short program. His results qualified him for the Grand Prix Final, in which he placed 6th overall. He was selected to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where he finished 7th. He then finished 7th at the 2014 World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan.

2014–2015 season: Second bronze at Four Continents

Yan's first assignment of the 2014 Grand Prix season was Cup of China. On November 8, during the free skate warm-up, he collided with Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu. Yan was visibly injured, but decided to compete. He placed 7th in the free program and 6th overall. Later in the same month, he placed 8th at another Grand Prix event, the 2014 Trophee Eric Bompard.

At the 2015 Four Continents Championships, Yan took the bronze medal with a combined score of 259.47, a personal best. He placed 10th at the 2015 World Championships.

2015–2016 season: Third bronze at Four Continents

Competing in the 2015 Grand Prix season, Yan placed 4th at Skate America and took bronze at Cup of China. He went on to win his third bronze medal at the 2016 Four Continents Championships, setting personal bests in the free program (181.98) and combined score (271.55). Yan placed 26th at the 2016 World Championships.

2016–2017 season

During the 2016 Grand Prix season, Yan placed 10th at Skate Canada and 5th at Cup of China. He ranked 10th at the 2017 Four Continents Championships. He won a bronze medal at the 2017 Asian Winter Games.

Yan's shoulder dislocated repeatedly after he sustained a fracture. As a result, he withdrew from the 2017 World Championships.

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

2009–10 to 2012–13