Li Li

Li Li (李莉, born February 26, 1975, in Xingning County, Guangdong Province) is an artistic gymnast from China. She competed during the early 1990s, and retired in 1994. An Olympian, World Cup medallist and national champion, the beam was her best apparatus. Here, she pioneered the exceptionally difficult and innovative 1 turn on back in kip position, to which the skill is named after her. No other gymnast has been able to perform the maneuver with as many spins.

Career Li made her international debut at the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, USA, where she wowed the world with her trademark 1 back spin on the beam, as well as a rare German giant into a Tkatchev on the uneven bars. Later the same year, she won one gold (team) and silver (bars) at the Asian Games, followed by another silver (beam) at the World Cup (her teammate Yang Bo took the gold). The following year, she competed at the 1991 World Championships in Indianapolis, where the Chinese team placed fourth.

At the 1992 Olympic Games, Li finished 14th in the all-around, and made the bars final where she placed eighth (9.887). Her teammate Lu Li won the gold with a perfect 10.0, one of only two 10s awarded at those games. Again, the Chinese women finished fourth in the team competition.

There has been some investigation into her actual birthdate, which may have been altered to allow her to compete in competitions she would not have been age-eligible for.

Eponymous skills Li has three eponymous skills listed in the Code of Points. Apparatus Name Description Difficulty Uneven bars Li Li Clear rear pike support (legs together) on high bar – full circle swing backward with stoop out backward to hang on high bar C (0.3) Uneven bars Li Li II Clear rear pike support (legs together) on high bar – full circle swing backward with counter flight backward straddled D (0.4) Balance beam Li Li 1¼ (450°) turn on back in kip position (hip-leg angle closed) D (0.4)

Competition history