Li Ning
Olympic gold medalist and founder of Li-Ning sportswear.
Li Ning, born March 10, 1963, in Liuzhou, Guangxi, is a Chinese billionaire entrepreneur, the founder of the sportswear company Li-Ning, and a retired Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast of Zhuang ethnicity. He currently resides in Hong Kong. His gymnastics career began at age eight, and by 1980 he had earned a place on the national team. In 1982, he dominated the Sixth World Cup Gymnastic Competition, winning six of seven possible medals, which earned him the nickname "Prince of Gymnastics." Li is most celebrated for his performance at the 1984 Summer Olympics, the first Games in which the People's Republic of China participated. There, he won six medals: three golds (floor exercise, pommel horse, and rings), two silvers, and one bronze, making him the most decorated Chinese athlete at that historic Olympics. Over his career, he also amassed 11 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships medals, including gold in the rings (1985) and team all-around (1983). His second Olympic appearance came in 1988 in Seoul, where he competed while injured and performed poorly, ending his illustrious gymnastics career. After retiring from competition in 1988, Li founded Li-Ning Company Limited in 1990, a firm specializing in footwear and sporting apparel in China, where he remains chairman of the board. According to the 2014 Hurun Report China Rich List, his fortune was estimated at RMB 5 billion, ranking him 407th in the country. In 2000, he became the first Chinese inductee into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. A statue was erected in his honor on the shores of Lake Geneva in Montreux in 2017. He famously lit the cauldron at the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, hoisted by cables and miming a run around the stadium rim. Li is married to Chen Yongyan, a fellow gymnast who won an Olympic bronze in 1984. He also appeared in several films, including *To Cross the Dadu River* (1980), *Uprising of Nam Cheong City* (1981), *Liberation of Nanjing* (1982), *Suspended Sentence* (1985), *The Thief Master* (1988), *Fire on the Great Wall* (1990), *Wonder Seven* (1994), and *In the Blue* (2006).
- born
- March 10, 1963, in Liuzhou, Guangxi
- field
- Gymnastics, entrepreneurship
- nationality
- Chinese (Zhuang ethnicity)
- known_for
- Founding Li-Ning sportswear company; winning six medals at the 1984 Summer Olymp
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Li Ning started training in gymnastics at age eight and was selected for the national team in 1980. In 1982, he won six of the seven medals at the Sixth World Cup Gymnastic Competition, earning the title 'Prince of Gymnastics'. He is most famous for winning six medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics—three gold (floor exercise, pommel horse, rings), two silver, and one bronze—becoming the most decorated Chinese athlete at that first Olympics after the founding of the People's Republic in 1949. He also won 11 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships medals, including gold in the rings (1985) and team all-around (1983).
Reader's Guide
Li Ning's significance lies in his dual legacy as a pioneering gymnast and a successful entrepreneur. As an athlete, he set a benchmark for Chinese gymnastics by winning six medals at the 1984 Olympics, the nation's first participation after 1949, and was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2000 as the first Chinese inductee. After retiring in 1988, he founded Li-Ning Company Limited in 1990, which sells footwear and sporting apparel in China. His fortune was estimated at RMB 5 billion in 2014, ranking 407th on the Hurun China Rich List. He also ignited the cauldron at the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony after being hoisted high into the air with cables and miming running around the stadium's rim. His career bridges athletic excellence and business innovation, influencing Chinese sports and industry.
Did You Know?
- Li Ning won six of the seven medals at the 1982 Sixth World Cup Gymnastic Competition, earning the title 'Prince of Gymnastics'.
- At the 1984 Summer Olympics, he won three gold medals (floor exercise, pommel horse, rings), two silver, and one bronze.
- He was the first Chinese inductee into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2000.
- At the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, he ignited the cauldron after being hoisted high into the air with cables and miming running around the stadium's rim.
- Li Ning is married to Chen Yongyan, a fellow gymnast who won an Olympic bronze in 1984.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Li Ning?
Li Ning is a Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur who became the most decorated Chinese athlete at the 1984 Summer Olympics, collecting six medals. After retiring from competition, he built himself into a billionaire by founding the Li-Ning sportswear brand.
How many medals did Li Ning win at the 1984 Olympics?
He earned six medals during the Los Angeles Games, making him the top-performing competitor from China at that event. Those results cemented his legacy as the most decorated Chinese athlete at those particular Olympics.
What company did Li Ning found after his athletic career?
He launched the Li-Ning sportswear label, which grew into a major global brand. That venture ultimately made him a Chinese billionaire and shifted his public identity from gymnast to business leader.
Where was Li Ning born and what is his ethnic background?
He was born on March 10, 1963, in Liuzhou, Guangxi, and belongs to the Zhuang ethnic group. He currently resides in Hong Kong.
Why was the 1984 Olympics historically significant for Li Ning?
It marked the very first time the People's Republic of China sent a delegation to the Summer Games, so his six-medal haul made him an instant national figure. His performance at those Games essentially put Chinese gymnastics on the world stage for the first time.
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