# Yao Fen

Yao Fen (Chinese: 姚芬; born January 2, 1967) is a Chinese former international level women's badminton player.

## Career

A doubles specialist, Yao won a number of top tier events on the world circuit in the early 1990s. Her earliest international success came in partnership with Lai Caiqin with whom she captured women's doubles' titles at the Japan and Thailand Opens and the Badminton World Cup in 1990. In her most successful season, 1992, she paired with Lin Yanfen to win the China and Swedish Opens, the Badminton World Cup, the World Badminton Grand Prix, and the prestigious All-England Championships. Yao and Lin were bronze medalists at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and played doubles for China's world champion 1992 Uber Cup (women's international) team. In 1993 they won the French Open women's doubles and were runners-up in defense of their title at the All England Championships.

## Achievements
### Olympic Games

Women's Doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1992 | Pavelló de la Mar Bella, Barcelona, Spain | Lin Yanfen | Hwang Hye-young Chung So-young | 9–15, 8–15 | Bronze |

### World Cup

Women's Doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Lai Caiqin | Erma Sulistianingsih Rosiana Tendean | 3–15, 15–10, 15–4 | Gold |
| 1991 | Macau Forum, Macau | Lai Caiqin | Erma Sulistianingsih Rosiana Tendean | 10–15, 15–12, 7–15 | Bronze |
| 1992 | Guangdong Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China | Lin Yanfen | Gillian Gowers Sara Sankey | 15–0, 15–3 | Gold |
| 1993 | Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India | Lin Yanfen | Chung So-young Gil Young-ah | 9–15, 10–15 | Bronze |

### Asian Games

Women's Doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China | Lai Caiqin | Chung So-young Gil Young-ah | 8–15, 10–15 | Bronze |

### Asian Cup

Women's Doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1991 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Lin Yanfen | Kimiko Jinnai Hisako Mori | 15–10, 14–17, 1–15 | Bronze |

### IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.
Women's Singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1986 | Carlton-Intersport Cup | Kirsten Larsen | 11–7, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1986 | English Masters | Sumiko Kitada | 1–11, 11–2, 11–0 | Winner |
Women's Doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Japan Open | Lai Caiqin | Kimiko Jinnai Hisako Mori | 7–15, 15–9, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1990 | Thailand Open | Lai Caiqin | Chung Myung-hee Chung So-young | 15–11, 10–15, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1990 | Malaysia Open | Lai Caiqin | Chung Myung-hee Chung So-young | 15–7, 9–15, 9–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Grand Prix Finals | Lai Caiqin | Erma Sulistianingsih Rosiana Tendean | 14–18, 10–15 | Runner-up |
| 1991 | German Open | Lin Yanfen | Lim Xiaoqing Christine Magnusson | 11–15, 15–17 | Runner-Up |
| 1992 | Swedish Open | Lin Yanfen | Catrine Bengtsson Maria Bengtsson | 15–6, 17–16 | Winner |
| 1992 | All England Open | Lin Yanfen | Guan Weizhen Nong Qunhua | 18–14, 18–17 | Winner |
| 1992 | China Open | Lin Yanfen | Pan Li Wu Yuhong | 17–14, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1992 | Grand Prix Finals | Lin Yanfen | Gillian Clark Gillian Gowers | 15–7, 17–16 | Winner |
| 1993 | Korea Open | Lin Yanfen | Chung So-young Gil Young-ah | 8–15, 5–15 | Runner-Up |
| 1993 | All England Open | Lin Yanfen | Chung So-young Gil Young-ah | 15–5, 4–15, 7–15 | Runner-Up |
| 1993 | French Open | Lin Yanfen | Nong Qunhua Zhou Lei | 15–10, 17–15 | Winner |

### IBF International

Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1984 | Polish Open | Lai Caiqin | Gao Maifeng Nong Qunhua | 9–15, 12–15 | Runner-up |