In 2002, Tianyu started to practice roller skating when he was only six years old. He was very talented in skating and won 8 national champions and 5 provincial champions during 2002 to 2006. In 2006, 10-year-old Tianyu decided to learn and practice short track speed skating. While there was no professional short track team in Liaoning Province at that time, he went to Changchun, Jilin and started his short track training.
Career
Han Tianyu made his international debut in 2012 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Melbourne, where he finished first in super 1500 meters, as well as a silver medal in 500 meters. Finally, he won a bronze medal in the overall ranking. After that competition, he was selected as a Chinese national team skater.
On 10 February 2014, Han went on the ice for men's 1500 meters in Winter Olympic Game. He was in the same heat with superstar Victor An and world junior champion in 2013 Park Se-yeong, in both quarterfinals and semifinals. He made a second and a first in the two races and got the chance to be in the final race. In the final race, he stayed in top three during the whole race and in the last few laps still tried to challenge Charles Hamelin, who won the gold medal in the end. Tianyu finished second and Victor got the bronze medal.[citation needed]
On March 12, 2016, Han Tianyu won men's 1500 meters gold medal in World Short Track Speed Skating Championships held in Seoul, which made him the first male Chinese skater to win gold medal in World Championships in 1500m. On 13th, he finished first in the men's 3000 meters superfinal, and won the gold medal of men's overall classification. Han became the second skater who won World Championships Men's overall gold medal in Chinese history (after Li Jiajun).[citation needed]
