Jin Boyang
He broke new ground for Chinese men's figure skating, becoming the first from his country to land a quad Lutz and win a world championship medal.
Born 1997 (age 29)·Chinese figure skater·Birthday: October 3·Generation Z
Biography
Jin Boyang emerged from Harbin's icy rinks as a prodigy whose explosive jumping power would change the perception of Chinese men's skating. Before him, the international podium in the men's singles discipline seemed a distant dream for China. Jin shattered that ceiling with a technical arsenal headlined by his quad Lutz, a jump of rare difficulty. His back-to-back World bronze medals in 2016 and 2017 weren't just personal triumphs; they were historic firsts that announced China as a force in the sport's most demanding field. While his career has navigated the intense pressures of expectation and injury, his 2018 Four Continents title and six national championships cemented his status as a trailblazer who inspired a generation of skaters in his homeland to aim for the sky.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Jin was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Jin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first Chinese men's singles skater to win a medal at the World Championships, securing bronze in 2016.
- Captured the gold medal at the 2018 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.
- Landed the first quad Lutz by a Chinese skater in international competition.
- Won six consecutive Chinese National Championship titles from 2015 to 2020.
Did You Know?
His nickname among fans is 'Boyang King'.
He was originally inspired to skate after watching a Chinese pairs team compete on television.
He is known for his program music choices, which have included themes from 'Star Wars' and 'Spider-Man'.
“I want to show the world that Chinese men's singles skating is strong.”
