# Yuan Wemyss

Yuan Wemyss (also known as Rita Yuan Gao, Yuan Gao and Rita Pickering; Chinese: 高源; born 14 January 1976) is a former Chinese-born Scottish badminton player who won Scottish National Championships 13 times.

## Career

Wemyss formerly played at the regional level in China. She temporarily left the sport in 1999 to study English at the Carlisle College. In Carlisle, she met Scottish national badminton coach Dan Travers who supported her playing badminton and representing Scotland. She there received the nickname Rita Yuan Gao. She is also known as Yuan Gao.
As of 2012, Yuan Gao moved to Zurich, Switzerland for part-time study of a master of philosophy in sports studies at the University of Stirling with a coaching role at Swiss Badminton. She also served as a women's ambassador for Badminton World Federation. In 2013, she competed in World Senior Championships. Currently she is acting as Performance and Development Coach of Badminton Scotland.

## Family

Wemyss comes from Wuhan. Her father was a football coach and her brother was a professional player of Hubei Province. Her mother was a former Army administrator.

## Achievements
### IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2001 | Dutch Open | Sandra Watt | Erica van den Heuvel Nicole van Hooren | 4–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |

### IBF International

Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2006 | Portugal International | Anna Rice | 21–9$^r$ | Winner |
| 2005 | Miami International | Anna Rice | 11–3, 11–5 | Winner |
| 2005 | Peru International | Anna Rice | 2–11, 11–1, 11–5 | Winner |
| 2005 | Finnish International | Susan Hughes | 8–11, 9–11 | Runner-up |
| 2005 | Portugal International | Jeanine Cicognini | 7–11, 11–3, 11–8 | Winner |
| 2004 | Scottish International | Jill Pittard | 11–4, 3–11, 13–10 | Winner |
| 2004 | Iceland International | Susan Hughes | 7–11, 2–11 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | Norwegian International | Petra Overzier | 1–11, 6–11 | Runner-up |
| 2000 | Irish International | Elizabeth Cann | 9–11, 11–2, 11–5 | Winner |
| 2000 | New Zealand International | Rhona Robertson | 3–11, 9–11 | Runner-up |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2005 | Portugal International | Petya Nedelcheva | Kathrin Piotrowski Sandra Marinello | 15–8, 11–15, 2–15 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | Welsh International | Petya Nedelcheva | Katie Litherland Julie Pike | 17–14, 15–0 | Winner |
| 2004 | Norwegian International | Michelle Douglas | Liza Parker Suzanne Rayappan | 0–15, 15–13, 8–15 | Runner-up |
| 2002 | Iceland International | Kirsteen McEwan | Katrin Atladóttir Drifa Hardardóttir | 11–3, 11–4 | Winner |
| 2002 | Scottish International | Kirsteen McEwan | Nicole Grether Juliane Schenk | Walkover | Winner |
| 2002 | Slovak International | Kirsteen McEwan | Natalia Gorodnicheva Elena Sukhareva | 11–5, 11–5 | Winner |
| 2001 | Scottish Open | Sandra Watt | Kirsteen McEwan Susan Hughes | 7–4, 7–0, 6–8, 7–0 | Winner |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2004 | Iceland International | Graeme Smith | Hayley Connor Peter Jeffrey | 7–15, 15–7, 13–15 | Runner-up |