Julian Yee

In this Chinese name, the family name is Yee (茹).

Julian Yee Zhi Jie (Chinese: 茹自杰; pinyin: Rú Zì Jié, born 26 May 1997) is a Malaysian figure skater. He is also the first Olympian Malaysian figure skater. He is the 2017 and 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, 2015 CS Denkova-Staviski Cup silver medalist, 2016 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy and 2013 Skate Down Under bronze medalist, as well as five-time Malaysian senior national champion (2013–2017). He has competed in the final segment at ten ISU Championships, including four World Championships. He represented Malaysia at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Julian Yee
Yee at the 2017 Worlds
Full name	Julian Yee Zhi Jie
Other names	Julian Zhi Jie Yee
Born	(1997-05-26) 26 May 1997 (age 26) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Malaysia
Coach	Michael Hopfes Doug Leigh
Skating club	Ice Skating Association of Malaysia
Began skating	2001
Medal record Representing  Malaysia Men’s figure skating Southeast Asian Games 2017 Kuala Lumpur Men’s singles 2019 Philippines Men’s singles

Julian Yee
Traditional Chinese	茹自傑
Simplified Chinese	茹自杰
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Rú Zì Jié

Personal life

Julian Yee Zhi Jie was born on 26 May 1997 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.^[3] His mother, Irene Cheow,^[4] served as the deputy president of the Ice Skating Association of Malaysia from 2012 to 2014.^[5] He has two brothers, Ian and Ryan Yee Zhi Jwen. Ryan has also competed internationally in figure skating.^[3]

Career

Early years

Julian Yee began learning to skate at age four at the Sunway Pyramid Ice Rink in Malaysia.^[6][7][8] He and his brothers were introduced to skating by their mother, Irene. Harry Janto Leo became his coach in 2004.^[7]

During his early years, Yee competed only in ISI-sanctioned competitions, which were regarded as recreational skating. He won the elementary category at the inaugural Malaysian National Championships and defended his title the following year. He learned all his double jumps by the age of twelve. He was selected by Ice Skating Association of Malaysia to participate in the 2009 Korean Dream Program in PyeongChang.^[9]

In 2010, Yee received additional coaching from Chen Lu and Denis Petrov. In 2011, he became the youngest skater to win the Junior Men's category, at age 13 years 10 months, thereby breaking the previous record held by his brother, Ryan Yee Zhi Jwen.

2011–12 to 2012–13

In the 2011–12 season, Yee was selected to represent Malaysia in the ISU Junior Grand Prix. He competed at events in Milan, Italy and Tallinn, Estonia, but failed to reach the free skate.

In 2013, Yee became first Malaysian to obtain the qualifying scores for the World Junior Championships. He finished 34th in the short program and did not qualify for the free skate. He learned most of the triple jumps by sixteen.^{[citation needed]}

2013–14 to 2014–15

In 2014, Yee became the first Malaysian to reach the free skate at a Four Continents Championships.^[10] One of the youngest skaters at the event, held in Taipei City from 20–25 January 2014, he qualified for the free skate and finished 23rd overall. At the 2014 Malaysian Open National Championship, Yee held the lead after the short program and defended his title to become only the second Malaysian skater to win the Senior Men's title in consecutive years.

In the 2014–15 JGP season, Yee finished sixth in Aichi, Japan, scoring personal bests in the short program, free skate, and combined total. In March 2015, competing at his fourth World Junior Championships, he qualified for the free skate and finished 19th overall. He also managed to qualify for Malaysia their first ever Youth Winter Olympics spot but he was not able to compete in it as he was over-aged.

2015–16 season

Yee started the 2015–16 JGP season with a 7th-place result in Riga, Latvia, scoring personal bests in the short, free skate and combined total (176.79). After placing first in the junior category at the 2015 Skate Canada Summer Skate in Thornhill, he competed at the JGP in Logroño, Spain and finished 4th – the highest result by a Malaysian in the Junior Grand Prix. He won his first ISU Challenger Series medal, silver, at the Denkova-Staviski Cup.

Yee finished 15th at the 2016 Four Continents Championships in Taipei after placing 15th in the short and 14th in the free. In March, he qualified for the free skate at the 2016 World Championships in Boston; he ranked 22nd in the short, 19th in the free, and 21st overall. During the season, he trained in Petaling Jaya and Barrie, Ontario, coached by Michael Hopfes and Doug Leigh.^[3]

Yee has also trained in the Elvis Stojko Arena (Toronto, Canada), the Chinese National Arena (Harbin, China), and the Beijing Capital Gymnasium (Beijing, China).^[when?]

2016–17 season

Yee won bronze at the Asian Open Trophy, held in Manila in August 2016. He then relocated to Barrie, Ontario to train full-time, taking a gap year off his university studies. He competed at two ISU Challenger Series events, placing 4th at the 2016 CS Nebelhorn Trophy in September and 5th at the 2016 CS Warsaw Cup in October.

Yee finished 15th overall at the 2017 Four Continents Championships in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and then went directly to Sapporo, Japan to compete at his first Asian Winter Games; he placed 8th with a new personal best of 222.69 points.

In March, he reached the final segment and finished 22nd overall at the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

2017–18 season

In August 2017, Yee won gold at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.^[11]

Yee represented Malaysia in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, together with Jeffrey Webb.^[12] He got a personal best score of 73.58 in the short program, and barely missed qualifying for the free skate.^[13][14] Yee is the first ever Malaysian figure skater to qualify for this event.^[15]

Programs

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2019–2020	Everglow by Coldplay	Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes Highway to Hell by AC/DC Kings & Queens by Thirty Seconds to Mars
2018–2019	To Build a Home by Patrick Watson performed by The Cinematic Orchestra	Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes Highway to Hell by AC/DC Kings & Queens by Thirty Seconds to Mars	The Janitor Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli Fireball by Pitbull (rapper) ft. John Ryan
2017–2018	To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra	It's a Man's World by James Brown Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine by James Brown I Feel Good by James Brown	The Janitor Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli Fireball by Pitbull (rapper) ft. John Ryan
2016–2017 ^[16]	I Put a Spell on You by Garou	It's a Man's World by James Brown Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine by James Brown I Feel Good by James Brown	The Janitor Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli Fireball by Pitbull (rapper) ft. John Ryan
2015–2016 ^[3]	I Put a Spell on You by Garou	Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini Fever by John Davenport Oye Negra by Eddie Cooley, Terry Snyder
2014–2015 ^[17]	Chambermaid Swing by Parov Stelar Capone by Ronan Hardiman	Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini Fever by John Davenport Oye Negra by Eddie Cooley and Terry Snyder
2013–2014 ^[18]	Chambermaid Swing by Parov Stelar Capone by Ronan Hardiman	Sons of Odin by Patrick Doyle Unstoppable by Gregson and Mullen Theme from Mission: Impossible by Hans Zimmer
2012–2013 ^[19]	The Jet Song (from "West Side Story") by Leonard Bernstein	Sons of Odin by Patrick Doyle Unstoppable by Gregson and Mullen Theme from Mission: Impossible by Hans Zimmer
2011–2012 ^[20]^[21]	The Jet Song (from "West Side Story") by Leonard Bernstein	Fever Feeling Good by Michael Bublé Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman The Cotton Club by John Barry

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: ISU Challenger Series; JGP: ISU Junior Grand Prix

International^[22]
Event	10–11	11–12	12–13	13–14	14–15	15–16	16–17	17–18	18–19	19–20
Olympics								25th
Worlds						21st	22nd	21st	23rd	C
Four Continents				23rd	22nd	15th	15th	16th	20th
GP Rostelecom									12th
GP Skate America									7th
GP Skate Canada										9th
CS Autumn Classic									7th
CS Denkova-Staviski						2nd
CS Nebelhorn						9th	4th	6th		6th
CS Tallinn Trophy								5th
CS Warsaw Cup							5th
Asian Games							8th
Asian Open							3rd
SEA Games								1st		1st
Skate Down Under				3rd
International: Junior^[22]
Junior Worlds		36th	34th	35th	19th
JGP Croatia					14th
JGP Czech Republic				17th
JGP Estonia		14th
JGP Italy		22nd
JGP Japan					6th
JGP Latvia						7th
JGP Poland				26th
JGP Slovenia			21st
JGP Spain						4th
Asian Open		8th	6th	4th	2nd
New Year's Cup			6th
Skate Helena			1st
Taipei Open				3rd
National^[22]
Malaysian Champ.	1st J	2nd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st		1st
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Event cancelled; J = Junior level; P = Preliminary round

Detailed results

Further to the introduction of the +5 / -5 GOE for the season 2018/19, all statistics will restart from zero. All previous statistics are now considered historical

Senior level

 

Yee at the 2017 World Championships.

2019–20 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
29 November - 1 December 2019	2019 Southeast Asian Games	1 63.35	1 139.27	1 202.62
25–27 October 2019	2019 Skate Canada International	7 75.64	10 135.99	9 211.63
25–28 September 2019	2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy	4 68.87	8 124.68	6 193.55
2018–19 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
18–24 March 2019	2019 World Championships	24 73.63	23 132.34	23 205.97
7–10 February 2019	2019 Four Continents Championships	18 61.23	17 112.87	20 174.10
16–18 November 2018	2018 Rostelecom Cup	12 60.37	12 118.34	12 178.71
19–21 October 2018	2018 Skate America	3 81.52	9 125.99	7 207.51
20–22 September 2018	2018 CS Autumn Classic International	5 74.86	8 126.43	7 201.29
2017–18 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
19–25 March 2018	2018 World Championships	21 72.43	20 136.60	21 209.03
14–23 February 2018	2018 Winter Olympics	25 73.58	DNQ	25
22–27 January 2018	2018 Four Continents Championships	17 68.45	16 129.23	16 197.68
20–26 November 2017	2017 CS Tallinn Trophy	9 63.70	4 138.92	5 202.62
27–30 September 2017	2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy	6 71.93	3 148.74	6 220.67
26–27 August 2017	2017 Southeast Asian Games	1 73.03	1 132.40	1 205.43
2016–17 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
27 March – 2 April 2017	2017 World Championships	23 69.74	19 144.25	22 213.99
23–26 February 2017	2017 Asian Winter Games	10 72.75	8 149.94	8 222.69
15–19 February 2017	2017 Four Continents Championships	15 72.21	16 130.46	15 202.67
17–20 November 2016	2016 CS Warsaw Cup	2 71.27	7 126.48	5 197.75
22–24 September 2016	2016 CS Nebelhorn Trophy	4 72.59	5 139.68	4 212.27
4–7 August 2016	2016 Asian Open Trophy	3 63.41	3 125.60	3 189.01
2015–16 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
26 March – 3 April 2016	2016 World Championships	22 67.60	19 135.34	21 202.94
16–21 February 2016	2016 Four Continents Championships	15 59.70	14 130.62	15 190.32
20–25 October 2015	2015 CS Denkova-Staviski Cup	1 67.24	3 130.18	2 197.42
24–26 September 2015	2015 CS Nebelhorn Trophy	9 65.89	7 125.38	9 191.27

Junior level

2015–16 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
30 September – 3 October 2015	2015 JGP Spain	Junior	5 59.34	4 120.51	4 179.85
26–29 August 2015	2015 JGP Latvia	Junior	7 59.10	6 117.69	7 176.79
2014–15 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
March	2015 World Junior Championships	Junior			19
9–15 February 2015	2015 Four Continents Championships	Senior			22
	2014 JGP Croatia	Junior			14
	2014 JGP Japan	Junior			6
August	2014 Asian Open Trophy	Junior			2
2013–14 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
2012–13 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
2011–12 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
March 2012	2012 Malaysian Championships	Senior			2
12–15 October 2011	2011 JGP Estonia	Junior	13 36.58	13 76.32	14 112.90
5–8 October 2011	2011 JGP Italy	Junior	23 30.91	22 62.04	22 92.95
22–26 August 2011	2011 Asian Open Trophy	Junior	9 33.73	8 71.42	8 105.15
2010–11 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
25 March – 2011	2011 Malaysian Junior Championships	Junior	1 36.89	1 71.96	1 108.85

References

1. "ISU World Standings 2023/2024. Men". isuresults.com (in Swahili). Retrieved 5 May 2024.
2. "ISU Season's World Ranking 2019/2020. Men". isuresults.com. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
3. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
4. Jong, Teoh Xiu (13 April 2016). "Figure skater hopes to realise dreams". The Star (Malaysia).
5. "ISAM EXCO for 2012 - 2014". Ice Skating Association of Malaysia. from the original on 13 April 2016.
6. "Athlete profiles: Julian Yee". Ice Skating Association of Malaysia. 2013.
7. Lim, Jarod (17 October 2013). "Determined to shine". The Star (Malaysia).
8. "Hall of Fame: Julian Yee Zhi-Jie". Sunway Pyramid Ice. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
9. "Malaysian figure skater Julian Yee the dream programme success story!". 12FLY.com. 19 November 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
10. Lim, Jarod (17 October 2013). "Determined to shine". The Star Online.
11. Azharie, Farah (27 August 2017). "KL2017: Julian Yee, Kai Xiang win gold, bronze in men's figure skating". New Straits Times. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
12. "How Malaysia's first Olympic figure skater made history in PyeongChang". Olympic Channel. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
13. "Men Single Skating - Short Program". ISU Results. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
14. Rajes Paul (16 February 2018). "Winter Olympics: Julian Yee misses final by a whisker". The Star. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
15. "Julian Yee becomes first ever M'sian figure skater to qualify for Winter Olympics". NST Online. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
16. "Julian Zhi Jie YEE: 2016/2017". International Skating Union.
17. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
18. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
19. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
20. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
21. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
22. "Competition Results: Julian Zhi Jie YEE". International Skating Union.

External links

•  Malaysia portal
•  Biography portal
•  Sports portal

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Julian Zhi Jie Yee.

• Julian Zhi Jie YEE at the International Skating Union
• Julian Zhi Jie Yee at the International Skating Union 
• Julian Zhi Jie Yee at Olympedia 
• Julian Yee on Facebook
• Julian Yee on Facebook (Fansite)

Olympic Games
Preceded by Inaugural	Flagbearer for   Malaysia PyeongChang 2018	Succeeded by Jeffrey Webb Aruwin Salehhuddin