Born in Liaocheng, Shen County in China's Shandong province, Zhao Yanmin was the only child of Ji and Gui, both of whom were fruit and vegetable farmers in the rural area surrounding the city.

Zhao's passion for sport grew, however, and after a good performance at the provincial schools championships she gained a scholarship to train at the Shandong Institute of Physical Education in Jinan in 2005.

She repeated that finish at the nationals the following year and won the 2009 Chinese junior title with a personal best of 52.97 seconds.

At the 11th Chinese Games she ran for Shandong in the 4×400 metres relay and helped her province to second place alongside former Asian champion Huang Xiaoxiao.

[2] Her first international medal came that year at the 2010 Asian Junior Athletics Championships in Hanoi, where she was the 400 m bronze medallist.