Chinese Taipei's history maker Yang Yung Wei: "If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight first”

Japan is a special place for Yang Yung Wei.

It’s where he wrote history for Chinese Taipei, winning its first medal in judo.

But Japan is also the place that welcomed him as a student and where he developed as man and as an athlete.

Yang is now back to compete in Tokyo for the first time since the Olympics for the penultimate event of the 2022 IJF World Tour, the Tokyo Grand Slam.

He is one of the top-ranked judokas at the event, being the number one in the world in his category – the -60kg class. After his historic Olympic medal he finished on the podium at every tournament he took part in, winning two Grand Slam titles (Abu Dhabi in 2021 and Antalya in 2022) and a bronze medal (a first for a male judoka from his island) at the last World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Since then he's also become a social media star, with over half million followers across Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Olympics.com sat down with him to reflect on his recent success, his relationship with fame and how judo shaped his mindset.

The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

• How Chinese Taipei's first-ever judo Olympic medallist became a social media star
• Tokyo Grand Slam 2022: Preview, schedule and stars to watch

Olympics.com: In 2021 you had your breakthrough year, what do you remember about your experience at Tokyo 2020?

Yang: When I was preparing for the Olympics, I knew that I had achieved many good results in international competitions before Tokyo, so I felt that I had the chance to stand on the podium if I could deliver my best performance. So, I chose to face the Games with calm and without thinking too much. I didn’t want to feel limited or overwhelmed by the importance of the event so my approach was normal.

I did my preparation the way I wanted and actually when I was there I was a bit nervous to compete with the best judokas in the world.

Olympics.com: How emotional was for you winning that historic medal at the Nippon Budokan, the ‘home’ of judo?

Yang: I spent some time in Tokyo during my university years and when I watched competitions at the Budokan, the venue felt very grand and magnificent and it was like being in a sacred place. It’s complicated to say what my tears meant and describe my emotions after I won silver. It hadn’t been easy for me until that moment. My heart was full of joy and I wanted to thank many people. Of course I felt very happy, but to be honest I also had some regrets. Overall that was a day I will never forget.

Olympics.com: How has your life changed after that achievement?

Yang: In fact, the changes are quite big, and sometimes it’s hard to adjust. When I finished competing in Tokyo, I found that I had a lot of new followers on my social media accounts, and then I also felt more expectations around me.

In addition to training and competition, I have many commitments and things to do, such as advertising, or attending events. In the beginning I enjoyed these new experiences, and I was curious about it. But then I gradually realised that doing these things require some energy and a lot of time. It felt that I didn’t have enough time for myself to rest properly so I understood I needed to adjust and make some changes in my life

Olympics.com: How do you deal with your current fame?

Yang: My personal motto has always been that “if you want to wear the crown, you must first bear its weight”. In the past my understanding of this motto was that if you want to achieve something extraordinary, you must sacrifice a lot of things. That felt heavy and stressful.

But because my life has changed so dramatically, I have now a deeper understanding of it. Now it’s like when you have such high attention and huge expectations, it means that your ability is actually stronger. But the stronger the ability, the greater the responsibility. Of course, the responsibilities shouldn’t overwhelm us, but that we should enjoy this process, find the value and meaning of life, and our own role in it.

Olympics.com: How did you start your judo journey?

Yang: I got in touch with judo because my mother used to be a judoka. We are three brothers in our family, plus my mum, only my father is not a judoka, the rest of us practised the sport.

My elder brother wanted to join the school team, so my mother took him to train with her and I accompanied them. Since I was very young at that time, I didn't think I could train in judo, but I watched them practise. Later, I joined my brother on the mat and we started to throw each other.

At that time, I felt that it was cool and I wanted to do the same as them. I also think it was a great thing that my family could share such a bond through the sport.

I chose judo because since my childhood our family's economic situation wasn’t great. At that time, I felt I could achieve good results in the elementary school competitions and earn a bonus. With that money I could help our parents to deal with the family expenses, or even reduce their burden. I was good at sports and I rarely lost. So, I thought that with judo I could help my family a little bit. Besides, when we trained, our parents – who both worked - didn't have to worry about leaving us home alone anymore.

In fact, my parents supported us to take up judo. Every time we participated in any domestic competition, even a small competition, they would be always there to cheer for us. They used to rearrange all their work schedule to be there and cheer us on.

Olympics.com: How’s been the influence of your elder brother on you?

Yang: My brother had always led me a little bit since I was a child, he would inspire me in a challenging way, because he knew that I was very competitive and didn't like being defeated by others. As he knew my personality, for example, he used to tell me, ‘I can beat you with one hand’, which motivated me to catch up with him or even surpass him.

We used to train together for a long time, and we took it very seriously because we both knew that we were part of a healthy competition, and we didn’t hide anything from each other. In the end, when I reached a higher level than him, my brother put his pride aside and decided to help me pursue my dream. We are now moving forward together and he can understand my mind all the time.

I once asked him: “Do you feel annoyed after seeing my achievements, as you are our big brother?” He told me that he didn’t mind because he could see my dedication, and all my potential. Whatever happens, this journey with him will be the most memorable story. This year he’s become a coach, and that’s helping me to see things from different points of view.

Olympics.com: How important is judo in your life?

Yang: Judo really completes me, so to speak, because I have been practising judo since I was a child, and I will always keep in mind what my coach and the people who helped me taught me. Perhaps one day I will fully understand their teachings and realise how they can change my life. So I always say that if you take judo away from me, in fact, I will have nothing.

Olympics.com: What are the qualities that make you a successful athlete?

Yang: I think I have strong leadership skills. Since I was a kid I used to be the class leader and I liked to be in charge. I am also very competitive and I don't like to lose. Another strength I have is that I’ve always been a little more mature than people of my same age. I’m always looking for solutions when I face negative emotions. I think this is the most important thing.

Olympics.com: How do you cope with stress?

Yang: My adjustment is to remember the words that a psychologist told me. He said: emotion can't be hidden in a competition; it is very important to laugh and cry if you want. Because if you keep holding them in your heart, you will experience more negative emotions and thoughts.

I also took several mindfulness courses, which helped me deal with my thoughts in the correct way. Every time before a competition, when I felt a little nervous, I always thought that I should only focus on how to deal with my opponent. Now I also follow a routine to calm myself down. For example, I keep doing the same pre-match training, and I have a fixed pattern when I arrive at the venue about placing my bags, when I drink water or go to the toilet, et cetera. There is a process that can make your mood more stable and calmer. This routine leaves me no extra time to overthink.

Olympics.com: Judo is taking most of your time, but what do you do to switch off?

Yang: I like going to the seaside or doing some outdoor activities, such as camping. I think camping is a time for people to relax and live the nature. When we go outdoors, we have to deal with everything ourselves. This is the most attractive point for about outdoor activities.

Olympics.com: What goals have you set yourself for the future?

Yang: Of course, the goal has always been to win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which remains unchanged. But the most important thing is to keep working hard in every training and competition. Instead of thinking about gold medals all the time, you'd better care more about what preparations you have to do now in order to achieve it.

I think it’s necessary to constantly remind myself to concentrate on every training or competition. Even though someday I may not be in the number one position in the world, I don't think it matters. Because judo is a sport in which, no matter how powerful or strong you are, you could lose a match in an instant. Winning or losing is not that important to me now, but understanding why I can lose and why I can succeed is important. This is what I should care about.