Li Ning

Infobox Gymnast
gymnastname= Li Ning

---

imagesize=150px
caption=
fullname= Li Ning
altname=
nickname=
country= CHN
birthdate= birth date and age|1963|9|8
birthplace= Liuzhou, Guangxi
hometown=
residence=
height=
discipline= MAG
level=
natlteam=
club=
gym=
collegeteam=
headcoach=
assistcoach=
formercoach=
choreographer=
eponymousskills=
retired= 1988
medaltemplates=

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

Personal

Li gained his Bachelor of Laws and EMBA degrees from Peking University. He lives in Hong Kong under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. [HKStandard. " [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=70223&con_type=1&d_str=20080815 The Standard.com] ." "Li Ning tops up tally for SAR." Retrieved on 2008-08-01.]

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".

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. [cite web
title = LI NING
work = International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
url = http://www.ighof.com/honorees/honorees_ning.html
accessmonthday = May 12
accessyear = 2007 ]

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. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7547074.stm|title= Games begin with spectacular show|accessdate2008-08-08|date=2008-08-08|publisher=BBC.co.uk] [cite news|url=http://www.intlgymnast.com/olympics/536.html|title= Li Flies High at Opening Ceremonies|accessdate2008-08-08|date=2008-08-08|publisher=International Gymnast] [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121964720621268641.html]

References

External links

* [http://www.lining.com/EN/company/inside-1_5_1.html Biography] - Li-Ning Company Limited
* [http://www.gymn-forum.net/bios/men/li_ning.html List of competitive results at Gymn Forum]
* [http://www.time.com/time/asia/2006/heroes/ae_li_ning.html Li Ning: China's legendary gymnast has combined sporting agility with commercial muscle] , 60 Years of Asian Heroes, By Hannah Beech, "Time", 2006