Female rower Yan Shimin was born in August 1987 in Haining, Jiaxing. She joined Zhejiang College of Sports in 2002, Zhejiang provincial canoeing team in 2003, and the national canoeing team in 2005.

She won the championship in women’s lightweight quadruple sculls at the 10th National Games in 2005, the championship in women’s lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Championships in 2006, and the bronze medal in women’s lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Championships in August 2007. In 2009, she won championships in women’s lightweight double sculls and women’s lightweight quadruple sculls at the 11th National Games held in Shandong Province.

She won the championship in women’s lightweight quadruple sculls at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.