Li Ning

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This is a Chinese name; the family name is Li.
Li Ning
Li Ling during 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.jpg
Personal information
Full name: Li Ning
Country Represented:  China
Date of birth: September 8, 1963 (1963-09-08) (age 46)
Place of birth: Liuzhou, Guangxi
Discipline: Men's artistic gymnastics
Retired: 1988

Li Ning (Simplified Chinese: 李宁; Traditional Chinese: 李寧; Pinyin: Lǐ Níng; born September 8, 1963 in Liuzhou, Guangxi) is a well-known Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur. He was born in a Zhuang family.

Contents

[edit] Personal

Li gained his Bachelor of Laws and MBF degrees from Peking University. He lives in Hong Kong under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.[1] Li Ning also has an 11 year old son in Chinese International School called Mathew Ning .

[edit] Career

Li is most famous for winning 6 medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, including 3 gold medals (in floor exercise, pommel horse, and rings), 2 silver medals, and a bronze medal. In 1982, he won six of the seven medals awarded at the Sixth World Cup Gymnastic Competition, earning him the title "Prince of gymnastics" (體操王子).

Li retired from sporting competition in 1988, and in 1990 he founded the Li-Ning Company Limited, which sells footwear and sporting apparel in China. Li remains chairman of the company's board of directors.

Li was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2000, becoming the first Chinese inductee.[2]

At the 2008 Summer Olympics Li Ning ignited the cauldron at the opening ceremony after being hoisted high into the air with cables and miming running around the high portion of the stadium.[3][4][5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ HKStandard. "The Standard.com." Li Ning tops up tally for SAR. Retrieved on 2008-08-01.
  2. ^ "LI NING". International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. http://www.ighof.com/honorees/honorees_ning.html. Retrieved May 12, 2007. 
  3. ^ "Games begin with spectacular show". BBC.co.uk. 2008-08-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7547074.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-08. 
  4. ^ "Li Flies High at Opening Ceremonies". International Gymnast. 2008-08-08. http://www.intlgymnast.com/olympics/536.html. Retrieved 2008-08-08. 
  5. ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121964720621268641.html

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Nikolaos Kaklamanakis
Athens 2004
Final Summer Olympic Torchbearer
Li Ning

Beijing 2008
Succeeded by
To be announced
London 2012