Former twice Olympic champion Yang Yang of China was elected as an IOC member on the final day of the IOC session?in Vancouver?on Friday.

Former twice Olympic champion Yang Yang of China was elected as an IOC member on the final day ofthe IOC session on Friday. [Xinhua]

Thus, the former short track speed skater becomes the fourth IOC member from mainland China, hours before the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.

Together with Yang, five others were elected as new IOC members, namely Prince Faisal, head of Jordan's national Olympic committee and younger brother of King Abdullah II; Barry Maister, secretary general of the New Zealand Olympic committee; Maria Casada Estupinan of Spain, head of the International Triathlon Union; Pat McQuaid, president of UCI, the international cycling federation, and Dagmawit Girmay Berhane, secretary general of Ethiopia's Olympic committee.

Being a member of the Women and Sport Committee of the International Olympic Committee, Yang said: "I'm honoured to be selected as the IOC member. I want to give my appreciate to the IOC and my country's sports authorities. Thank for your trust and support."

Tagged "Queen of Short Track", Yang became China's first ever Winter Olympic winner when she triumphed in the women's 500m short track at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games where she also won the 1000m.

Yang has won a total of five Olympic medals, including two silvers in Salt Lake City and Nagano and a bronze in Turin. She boasts of an incredible 59 world titles throughout her professional career.

"It is a turning point of my life to continue my sports life. I have more responsibilities as an IOC member to promote and develop the Olympics," said the 34-year-old Yang, also a committee member of the World Anti Doping Agency, and a founding member of the Chinese Athlete Education Foundation.