Baiwei YU

OLYMPIC JOURNEY
Competed at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, after being told the national team program would be cut if they failed to qualify. Missing qualification for Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 was hard on her, so considers it a blessing to compete at Beijing 2022 as the host nation. “I didn’t want to cave, but the reality really hurt. I love hockey, it is everything in my life and I love my country, I want to fight for it until I can’t play anymore. We cherish every day from now to the opening of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.” (people.cn, 3 Mar 2018; beijing2022.cn, 24 Sep 2020)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Played with Team China in Finland’s SM-sarja, when the Chinese national team was invited to compete from 2005-07.

Inaugural member of Kunlun Red Star, one of two Chinese teams added to the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) in 2017. Played all 32 games that season, with the team losing in overtime to Markham Thunder in the Clarkson Cup. Played the 2018/19 season with Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays, a conglomerate team formed from Kunlun and the defunct Vanke Rays. Played all 28 regular-season games, but Shenzhen missed the playoffs.

After the CWHL folded in 2019, she signed with the Minnesota Whitecaps in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) but did not play a game. (thehockeywriters.com, 24 Sep 2019)

PRO HELP
Considers the addition of Chinese teams Kunlun Red Star and Vanke Rays to the CWHL a great benefit to Chinese ice hockey. Kunlun’s roster included six US national team players and three North American players, with Chinese heritage and college experience. They were assigned to mentor one of 12 Chinese-born players. The team was specifically constructed to allow Yu and fellow national team defender Liu Zhixin to train every day against international-calibre forwards, while Vanke had China’s best forwards and international defenders.

“I have waited for years and now finally we have a chance to play real professional hockey with the top players in the world. They have showed us how to enjoy hockey, also how to get stronger on the mental side, share the puck, share everything. We can apply the knowledge from our competitive experience and from our amazing teammates and coaches to help create a strong Team China.” (theglobeandmail.com, 16 Mar 2018; victorypress.org, 6 Apr 2018; people.cn, 3 Mar 2018)

OUTSIDE INTERESTS
Participated on stage in the 2021 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the most-watched annual TV event in the People's Republic of China, held every year on the eve of the Lunar New Year. (baike.baidu.com)

Favourite movie is The Notebook (Athlete, 25 Jan 2022)

PLAYING CAREER
Team China, CHN (2005-07); Kunlun Red Star, CHN (2017-18); Minnesota Whitecaps, USA (2019); KRS Vanke Rays, CHN (2018-19, 2021- )

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
One of three Chinese defensemen to score a point at Vancouver 2010, getting an assist against Slovakia in the seventh-place game.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Competed at three consecutive World Championships from 2007-09, before playing in Division I since.

Three-time Division IB medallist, winning two silver (2012, 2014) and a bronze (2015). She led the 2015 tournament in assists (six) and among defensemen was the leading goal (three) and points (nine) scorer.

CWHL
Became the first Chinese national to score a goal in the Canadian Women's Hockey League, after scoring the game-winning goal against Toronto in November 2017.

ASIAN WINTER GAMES
Three-time medallist, with one silver (2017) and two bronze (2007, 2011).

NATIONAL
Highest scoring defenseman in national team history, with 11 goals.

First captained the Chinese national team at the 2012 Challenge Cup of Asia, and has been named as captain or alternate every tournament since. In conjunction with being captain, she also serves as the national team’s assistant coach. “The team was all young and inexperienced and I was chosen to be the captain and to lead the group. You can’t even imagine the pressure and frustration during that time. I was only 24-years-old, but already the oldest player on the team. But I understood our situation, cultivating young players was the best way to grow hockey.” (beijing2022.cn, 24 Sep 2020)