Ashley Lin
Ashley Lin or Lin Shan is a former American-born Chinese figure skater, that represented China in ladies' singles. She is the 2020 Chinese national bronze medalist.
Born in the United States, she competed for the U.S. and won the 2017 U.S. national junior bronze medal, before representing China internationally.
Personal life
Lin was born in Frisco, Texas, on March 12, 2003, to Chinese immigrants from Shanghai. Her parents both work in computer companies. According to Xinhua News, Lin became a naturalized Chinese citizen in early 2019, and thus relinquished her Citizenship of [the United States#Birthright citizenship|U.S. citizenship], as China does not allow dual nationality.Lin was accepted to the Wharton School of [the University of Pennsylvania] as part of the Class of 2026.
Career
Early career
Lin began skating in 2008. She was the 2016 U.S. national novice pewter medalist.2016–2017 season
Lin was assigned to her first international event, 2016 JGP Slovenia, where she placed sixth. She won Midwestern Sectionals and advanced to the 2017 U.S. Championships, where she won bronze.2017–2018 season
Lin again placed sixth at 2017 JGP Latvia to start the season. Competing in the senior division, she won the pewter medal at Midwestern Sectionals and qualified for the 2018 U.S. Championships. Lin was 21st after the short program at the 2018 U.S. Championships, and later withdrew from the free skating for unspecified reasons.2018–2019 season
Lin opened her season with a fifth-place finish in the junior division at the 2018 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy. She made her senior international debut at 2018 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, where she earned personal bests in all segments to place fifth overall. Lin then competed at 2018 CS [Inge Solar Memorial – Alpen Trophy], where she narrowly missed the podium, finishing in fourth 0.06 points behind Australia's Brooklee Han after a free skating comeback.Lin qualified to the 2019 U.S. Championships, but withdrew in January to begin the process of switching nationalities.
2019–2020 season
Lin officially switched to representing her parents' native country of China in 2019, as part of the country's initiative to recruit top athletes leading up to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.Lin won the bronze medal at the 2019–20 Chinese Championships in September behind An Xiangyi and Chen Hongyi. Her coach, Chen Lu, told media that they were aiming to refine details and increase Lin's difficulty in the lead-up to the Olympics.
The Chinese Skating Association arranged for Lin to train with coaches Eteri Tutberidze, Sergei Dudakov, and Daniil Gleikhengauz in Moscow, Russia for two weeks in October.