Yang Binyu (L) of China competes during the women's 1500m of speed skating event at the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Jan. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

 Yang Binyu, China's bronze medalist in the women's 1500-meter speed skating race at 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, sometimes plays the role of translator for her teammates.

Surprising the international journalists, the 17-year-old Yang talked to the media in English at the mixed zone.

Yang Binyu of China competes during the women's 1500m of speed skating event at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Jan. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

Having attended a bilingual school, Yang had better English education than the other Chinese sprinters and enjoys good communication with coaches from the Netherlands.

Along with temporary teammates Carla Alvarez Fernandez from Spain, Filip Hawrylak from Poland and Nuraly Akzhol from Kazakhstan, Yang finished 13th place in the mixed team sprint on the natural ice rink of Lake St. Moritz on Wednesday.

The mixed team sprint, initiated at Lillehammer winter YOG in 2016, is regarded as a sport platform for the young athletes from different countries and regions and cultures to communicate.

"The result is not as important as other events, but it is interesting to race together with them," said Yang.

After being informed of the team draw on Monday evening, Yang had a training session with her teammates on Tuesday with a temporary coach from Russia.

"The Russian coach did not speak much English but I think I could understand him with the help of translators, sometimes by gestures," Yang said, "I talked to other teammates, like who will lead the first 300 meters, who is going to break the wind for others."

Yang Binyu (R) of China and Isabel Grevelt of the Netherlands compete during the women's 500m of speed skating event at the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Jan. 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

In the mixed team sprint, the women sprinters usually lead the first two rounds and the men rush to the finishing line.

"All the teammates are in the different level so we have to help each other and make good strategy," said Yang, "we really enjoy the run."

In the athletes' village of St. Moritz, Yang loves to meet other atheltes while playing games like table tennis or cue sports.

"I'll say hello to them and ask them which sport they play and how the game was going. I've learnt the fun parts of other sports like skeleton, luge and bob run, which sounds very challenging and risky," said Yang. "I can ski but at the beginners' level."

Sometimes, Yang meet groups of guys at table tennis and billiards after training and competition in the athletes village.

"Nobody can beat me there, men or women," smiled Yang, "I'm always the winner on the table games."

Thursday will be the last match day of speed skating race and Yang is preparing her final show in mass start event where she is expected to fight for a medal. After the Winter YOG, she will take short-term rest before going for the next big event of China's 14th National Winter Games.