Yang Yongchao

Yang Yongchao (born August 25, 1998) is a Chinese pair skater who currently competes with Zhang Siyang. Together, they are the 2022 Chinese nationals pairs skating champions.

With his former partner, Tang Feiyao, he is the 2019 Chinese national pairs skating bronze medalist and 2020 Chinese nationals pairs skating silver medalist.

Personal life
Yang was born on August 25, 1998, in Changchun, China.

Early career
Yang began figure skating in 2003.

Yang's first pair skating partner was Sui Jiaying. Together they competed at four National Championships, placing seventh in 2013, sixth in 2014, fourth in 2015, and winning a silver medal in 2016.

The pair split following the 2015–16 season.

2016–17 season
For the 2016–17 figure skating season, Yang teamed up with Han Yue.

Together, they competed on the 2016–17 Junior Grand Prix series, placing eight at JGP Estonia and seventh at JGP Germany.

They then went on to compete at the 2017 Chinese Championships, where they won the silver medal.

Following the season, the pair parted ways.

2017–18 season
Prior to the 2017–18 figure skating season, Yang teamed up with Tang Feiyao.

They debuted on the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix series, placing fourth at JGP Belarus.

At the 2018 Chinese Championships, they placed fifth.

Tang/Yang were then assigned to compete at the 2018 World Junior Championships, where they placed twelfth.

2018–19 season
Tang/Yang competed on the 2018–19 Junior Grand Prix series, placing fifth at JGP Canada and seventh at JGP Czech Republic.

They then went on to win the bronze medal at the 2019 Chinese Championships and were assigned to compete at the 2019 World Junior Championships, where they placed fourth.

2019–20 season
Tang/Yang made their senior international debut at the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, where they finished fourth. They then went on to win the bronze medal at the 2019 Shanghai Trophy.

Debuting on the 2019–20 Grand Prix series, the pair placed seventh at both the 2019 Skate Canada International and 2019 Cup of China.

The pair then went on to win the silver medal at the 2020 Chinese Championships and were named to both the Four Continents and World team.

The pair, however, withdrew from the 2020 Four Continents Championships shortly before the event.

Moreover, the 2020 World Championships in Montreal, Quebec, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020–21 season
Although, Tang/Yang were assigned to compete at the 2020 Cup of China, they withdrew from the event.

Following the season, the pair parted ways.

2022–23 season
For the 2022-23 figure skating season, Yang teamed up with former singles skater, Zhang Siyang. The pair debuted internationally at the 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb, where they placed seventh.

At the 2022 Chinese Championships, the pair won the gold medal. With this result, the pair were selected to compete at the 2023 Four Continents Championships and the 2023 World Championships. At the 2023 Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the pair finished eighth.

Two weeks prior to the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, Zhang suffered a bad fall in practice and had to get twelve stitches in her chin. At the World Championships, the pair managed to qualify for the free program segment of the competition by placing twentieth in the short program. In the free skate, the pair placed seventeenth and moved up to seventeenth-place overall.

2023-24 season
Zhang/Yang began the season at the Shanghai Trophy, where they won the bronze medal. They were invited to make their ISU Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Cup of China, finishing in fifth place.

Competitive highlights
GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With Zhang
Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.

With Tang
Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.