# Yang Yang (badminton)

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 | Icuk Sugiarto | 15–4, 15–10 | Gold |

### World Championships

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

### World Cup

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

### Asian Games

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

### Asian Championships

Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1985 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Zhao Jianhua | 10–15, 15–5, 6–15 | 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 | Morten Frost | 15–10, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1986 | Japan Open | Ib Frederiksen | 5–15, 15–6, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1986 | Hong Kong Open | Icuk Sugiarto | 6–15, 15–8, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1986 | World Grand Prix Finals | Morten Frost | 18–13, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1987 | Scandinavian Open | Icuk Sugiarto | Walkover | Winner |
| 1987 | Malaysia Open | Steen Fladberg | 4–15, 15–10, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1987 | Indonesia Open | Eddy Kurniawan | 15–6, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1988 | Hong Kong Open | Icuk Sugiarto | 15–7, 1–15, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1989 | Japan Open | Foo Kok Keong | 15–2, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1989 | All England Open | Morten Frost | 15–6, 15–7 | Winner |

### Invitation Tournament (1 title)

| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1988 | Konica Cup | Sompol Kukasemkij | 15–10, 15–2 | Winner |

## External Links

* Badmintoncn.com: Yang Yang (in Chinese)
* 羽壇“王中王”回歸故鄉續寫傳奇 (in Chinese)
* Yang Yang at BWFBadminton.com
* Yang Yang at BWF.TournamentSoftware.com (archived)
* Yang Yang at Olympedia