TURIN, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- China's first winter Olympic championYang Yang (A) will become the first Chinese female flag bearer in the Olympic Games as she will hold up China's flag at the opening ceremony of the 20th Winter Olympic Games, an official of the Chinese delegation told Xinhua here on Thursday.

"The delegation has decided to choose Yang Yang as the flag bearer in the opening ceremony, and it is the first time that we choose a female bearer in the Olympics both in Summer's and Winter's," said Wang Yitao, secretary general of the delegation, after aflag raising ceremony at the Olympic Village Thursday morning.

"Yang Yang is the first-ever winter Olympic gold medalist in China and she is one of the most well-know athletes in winter sport in China," Wang added.

The short track speed skater Yang, 30, won two gold medals from500m and 1,000m at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002, ending thewinter Olympic gold draught for China.

Yang won all the titles in individual events of the World Championships from 1997 to 2002 and claimed five champions in World Cup successively. Till now, she has grabbed 59 gold medals in total both in individual and team events.

Yang, a member of the athletes' commission both in International Skating Union and WADA, is also a candidate for the IOC athletes' commission. The election will end on February 22 andthe official announcement will take place on February 23. Enditem