Female canoe & kayak athlete Zhong Hongyan was born on November 29, 1978  in Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province. She entered Tongxiang Youth Sports School in 1990, Zhejiang Provincial Sports School in August 1993 and Zhejiang provincial canoeing team in 1995. She then entered national canoeing training team in November 1997.

She won the championship in women’s kayak double 500m at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in 1988, the championship in women’s kayak four 500m at the Belgium World Cup in 2002, and the runner-up in women’s kayak four 1000m at the 2002 World Championships.

In 2002, she won the championship in women’s kayak four 500m and kayak double 500m, and the runner-up in women’s kayak four 500m at the 14th Asian Games held in Busan.