Yuan Wemyss

Wemyss was a bright sport prospect who formerly played at the regional level in China but never made it up to the national squad due to very tough competition. She temporarily left the sport in 1999 and began pursuing her another interest in learning English at the Carlisle College. In Carlisle she met Ian Palethorpe, a man whom she married few years after they met in a badminton club. Ian realised the great potential of Wemyss and contacted Scottish National badminton coach Dan Travers who in turn began supporting her for playing further Badminton and represent the Scotland at international stage. She there got her nickname Rita, then after dubbed as Rita Yuan Gao.[2] However she later divorced and reverted to her original name Yuan Gao.[3]

As of 2012, Yuan Gao moved to Zurich, Switzerland for part-time study of a Master of Philosophy in Sports Studies at the University of Stirling with a coaching role at Swiss Badminton. She also served as a Woman's ambassador in Badminton World Federation. In 2013, she competed in World Senior Championships also.[4] Currently she is acting as Performance and Development Coach of Badminton Scotland.[5][6]

Wemyss comes from Wuhan, a big industrial city in Central China located alongside Yangtze river. Her father was a football coach and her brother was a professional player of Hubei Province. Her mother was a former Army administrator.