New Zealand figure skater Yanhao (Dwyane) Li. Photo: Suplied
Yanhao Li has made history, becoming the first ever New Zealand ice figure skater to be selected for the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
The Auckland based 15-year-old, who is known as Dwayne, has been named to the New Zealand Team for the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games and will be one of just 18-male figure skaters to compete in the individual men's event.
Li was born in Beijing, China where he began skating aged four before his family immigrated to New Zealand when he was aged eight.
Now based in Auckland, he splits his time between school at Macleans College and the Paradice Ice Rinks where he spends more than 12 hours a week on ice.
"This sport has given me a lot of opportunities to travel the world which I love and I'd like to thank my coach, parents, skating rink, and New Zealand Ice Figure Skating for all the work they've done to help get me to this point."
Li recently became the first New Zealander to win an international figure skating medal, taking bronze at the Junior Grand Prix in Bangkok in August 2023.
He's well known for his Biellmann spin - a difficult variation of an upright spin where the skater grabs their foot and pulls it above their head.
