(by CRIEnglish.com Sun Yang)

China's Winter Olympics heroine Yang Yang, who broke China's gold medal drought in 2002 by winning the women's short track speed skating 500m and 1,000m races, is in good form to take another shot at Olympic victory next year in Turin.

(Photo source: sina)

Yang Yang created a sensation in Salt Lake City by winning China's first Winter Olympics gold medal. After her victory in 2002, she chose to step off the ice for a while to pursue her studies in the United States. She came back to the starting line in 2004.

Talking about her return to the sport, the veteran skater says her love of winter sports is the main reason.

"My friends and relatives do not agree with my decision to return to the sport. They think it is a risk for me as I may not be as brilliant as before. But I was certain that if I were to stand only as a spectator in Turin next year, I would be very sad."

30 year-old Yang is now busy preparing for the Turin Games in which she will defend her 500m and 1000m titles. Yang faces fierce challenges from world record holder Evgenia Radanova of Bulgaria as well as junior teammate Wang Meng, who took home all the gold medals in the women's 500m race at the World Cup series.

Yang said what is most important for her is not the results but enjoying the process of the competition.

"In the Salt Lake City games, I failed to win the 1500m race, which I had never lost before. It was a big shock to me. But I learned a lot from the failure. It was not only a benefit for my career, but also for my life. "