One of China’s brightest Winter Olympic stars, dominant short-track speed-skater Wang Meng, will be forced to miss out on Sochi due to a fractured ankle she suffered in training earlier this month. Wang, is currently in a Beijing hospital recovering from surgery on her injury.

The road to recovery for the four-time Olympic gold medallist as she has had a 10cm long steel plate implanted in her injured ankle that is held in place by 11 screws.

It’s believed it will take a year and a half before Wang is back to full health. China’s best women’s speed skater, certainly disappointed to be sidelined ahead of what could be her final chance at the Olympics, but she has faith in her teammates to perform well in her absence.  "I train with my teammates everyday, I think almost anything can happen. I think Fan Kexin and Liu Qiuhong can have good results in the 500m, I am very confident. I think the men’s team also can do well, we may surprise some people." Wang Meng said.