He Ying

Lore & Background

He Ying began her international career at the 1994 Asian Games, where she won a gold medal in the team event. She returned to the Asian Games in 1998 and earned a silver medal in the team event. At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, she won the silver medal in the women's individual competition. She competed again at the 2000 Sydney Olympics but did not win a medal. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, she achieved her second Olympic silver medal in the team event alongside teammates Lin Sang and Zhang Juanjuan. The team defeated Australia, Ukraine, and Chinese Taipei in the elimination rounds before losing to South Korea in the gold medal match by a single match. In the individual competition, He placed 4th in the ranking round with a score of 667. She defeated Helen Palmer of Great Britain, Melissa Jennison of Australia (in a final arrow shoot-off), and Kirstin Jean Lewis of South Africa in the first three rounds. In the quarterfinals, she faced eventual bronze medalist Alison Williamson of Great Britain. He was red carded for shooting out of turn, resulting in her highest scoring shot being declared void. She later missed the target entirely with her 10th shot, and Williamson won by a score of 109–89. The Chinese team officials planned to appeal against the result but failed to do so within the allowed time. Her final ranking in the individual competition was 8th.

Reader's Guide

He Ying's Olympic career spans three Games and includes two silver medals, making her one of China's most decorated Olympic archers. Her first silver came in the individual event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and her second came in the team event at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she competed with Lin Sang and Zhang Juanjuan. The team's run to the gold medal match included victories over Australia, Ukraine, and Chinese Taipei, before falling to South Korea by a single match. Her individual competition at the 2004 Games was marked by controversy: after advancing through three rounds—including a shoot-off against Melissa Jennison—she was red carded in the quarterfinals for shooting out of turn, which voided her highest scoring shot. She then missed the target entirely with her 10th arrow, losing to eventual bronze medalist Alison Williamson. The planned appeal by Chinese team officials was not filed within the allowed time. He also won a gold medal at the 1994 Asian Games and a silver at the 1998 Asian Games, both in the team event. After her competitive career, she became the coach of Li Jiaman, who won gold in the girls' individual and mixed team events at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.

Did You Know?

• He Ying won silver in the women's individual event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
• At the 2004 Olympics, she was red carded for shooting out of turn in the quarterfinals.
• She defeated Melissa Jennison of Australia in a final arrow shoot-off at the 2004 Olympics.
• He Ying coached Li Jiaman to gold at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.