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Chinese short-track speedskating legend Yang Yang (A), who won China's first-ever Winter Olympics gold medals, announced her retirement on Saturday after one final trip to the podium.

The 29-year-old from Tianyuan achieved breakthrough victories for China at the 2002 Olympics, capturing the 500m and 1,000m gold medals to become the first short-track speedskater with multiple golds at a Games.

But after a possible appearance with a relay at next month's World Championships, Yang is ready to take off her skates and try to contribute to China's preparations for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

"This is my last race," Yang said. "I'm very happy. I'm done with skating. I'm very happy with what I've done and what I've got."

After failing to reach the 1,500m final and being part of a 3,000m relay team that was disqualified in the final, Yang was pleased to claim one last Olympic medal.

Yang took the bronze after Korean Choi Eun-Kyung was disqualified for impeding at the 1,000m event on Saturday.

Choi's compatriot Jin Sun-Yu won the event, with China's Wang Meng taking the silver.

"It means a lot to me," she said. "After my first two races I was very disappointed. I had to find my fight again. It was a tough race. I tried my best. I'm very happy, not just because of the bronze medal but because I skated well."

Yang has not stopped to ponder her place in Chinese sports history, leaving that for other people to decide.

"I don't really think about it too much," Yang said. "All I know is people inspired me very much and I tried to inspire people. It went both ways."

As mentor to Wang Meng, who won 500m gold at Turin, Yang has helped pass along her legacy to a new generation.

But she said China must train harder at the longer distances to compete with South Korea, which won six of eight short-track golds at Turin.

"We have won the short distances like 500m, where our power is best," Yang said.

"In distance races, they did a better job. We have a lot of room to improve our endurance training, to do a better job."

But when it comes to preparing for the 2008 Olympics, Yang sees nothing that China could do better than what is already being prepared.

"Our people, we're ready. There are two years to go but we're ready. People are excited for it to happen," Yang said. "You will be surprised. I'm very proud of what we have done.

"I have one more year of school to go and then I hope to work on the 2008 Olympics and welcome everybody. I'm very much looking forward to 2008. It's very huge for China.

"It's a great opportunity to show the world how great China is. Sport is a way to inspire people. I'm sure we'll do a good job."

(China Daily February 27, 2006)