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Yue Ling Chen:
On the Road to Olympic Gold!

Yue Ling Chen is a young woman of firsts. The first gold medalist in a women’s Olympic walking event--and the first Asian woman and the first Chinese athlete, man or woman, to ever win an Olympic track and field event.

This is a significant accomplishment, but not at all surprising to anyone who knows this amazing young woman and her seemingly tireless energy. Her commitment is legendary. In the six years leading up to the Barcelona Olympics, Yue Ling walked more than 48,000 miles in training--a distance that would have taken her around the world twice!

Needless to say her Olympic triumph made Yue Ling a national hero and she was the subject of a television documentary in her native China. A movie of her life is under consideration. She was also honored with a life-sized bronze statue in the town square of her hometown of Tieling in the province of Lianoning.

Success in sports opens many doors and it is the wise athlete who recognizes opportunity. Yue Ling used her Olympic success to further her education first at Brigham Young University and most recently Palomar College. In addition to studying English, she is also studying fashion modeling technique at the John Casablanca modeling school and establishing herself in a marketing career.

A warm, caring person, Yue Ling has found time for other as well. She has walked for many charities, was appointed honorary spokeswoman for the National Kidney Foundation and San Diego County’s Union of Pan Asian Communities and provides volunteer administrative support to the Olympic Movement. To educated others and stimulate interest in race-walking she has also given seminars at the National Transplant Games as well as at the Nike World Master Games.

Those who have seen this striking woman with her modest demeanor at ab All-Star Event may be surprised to learn that the competitive fire still burns within and despite an announced retirement after her Olympic triumphs, Yue Ling has resumed training.

Her next goal? To represent the United States in the Olympic Games. “I love America,”says Yue Ling, who has applied for U.S. citizenship. “I hope I can lead racewalking in the United States to the top of the world.”

For more information on developing a Yue Ling Chen program please contact, brvc inc at 972.732.6065 or e-mail us at ylchen@brvc.com.