Donghua Li

Donghua Li
Donghua Li in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Donghua Li
Country represented	Switzerland
Former country(ies) represented	China
Born	December 10, 1967 (1967-12-10) (age 43) Chengdu, China
Discipline	Men's artistic gymnastics
Medal record Competitor for  Switzerland Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta Pommel Horse World Championships Gold 1995 Sabae Pommel Horse Silver 1996 San Juan Pommel Horse Bronze 1994 Brisbane Pommel Horse European Championships Gold 1996 Copenhagen Pommel Horse

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Li.

Donghua Li (Chinese: 李东华, Pinyin: Lǐ Dōng Huá, born December 10, 1967 in Chengdu, China) is a Swiss gymnast from China. Originally a successful gymnast from China, he met a Swiss citizen while recovering from injury, fell in love with her, and emigrated to Switzerland, where he eventually acquired citizenship and began competing for that country internationally. He won the gold medal on the Pommel Horse in the 1996 Summer Olympics as a Swiss citizen.

From China to Switzerland

He won the Chinese national gymnastic championships on the Pommel Horse in 1987. However, a neck injury prevented him from making the 1988 Olympic team, and while injured he developed a relationship with Esperanza Friedli, a Swiss national who was backpacking in China. When he told his coaches he was to marry her, they told him to cut off his relationship or he would not be able to compete. He refused, and left for Lucerne with Esperanza.^[1]

Olympics and World Championships

He subsequently had to wait 5 years before acquiring Swiss citizenship. In the meantime, he won the Swiss national championships in the Pommel Horse from 1989 to 1992, and won the overall title in 1993. Because he didn't have Swiss nationality, these were not official. When he finally got Swiss citizenship in 1994, he won bronze in the World Championship in Pommel Horse. The next year, he won gold in the same event. Finally, in 1996, at the age of 28, he won both the European Gymnastic Championship and the Summer Olympics in Pommel Horse.

References

1. ^ Clarey, C. "Love Conquers All, Eventually". New York Times, April 14, 1996.

External links

• Donghua Li at Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique
• Official Homepage (German)
• List of competitive results at Gymn Forum
• Love Conquers All, Eventually

Awards
Preceded by Tony Rominger	Swiss Sportsman of the Year 1995 – 1996	Succeeded by Michael von Grünigen

Gymnastics portal

Persondata
Name	Li, Donghua
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 10, 1967
Place of birth	Chengdu, China
Date of death
Place of death