View source for Li Ning

{{Short description|Chinese gymnast (born 1963)}}
{{other people}}
{{for|the eponymous sportswear and sports equipment company|Li-Ning}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Li (surname 李)|Li]]|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox gymnast
| name = Li Ning
| image = Li Ling during 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.jpg
| imagesize = 
| caption = Li lighting the torch at the 2008 Summer Olympics
| nickname = Prince of gymnastics
| country = {{GYM National Team|CHN|MAG}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1963|3|10}}
| birth_place = [[Liuzhou]], [[Guangxi]], [[People’s Republic of China]]
| hometown = 
| residence = 
| height = 1.64 m
| discipline = MAG
| natlteam = 
| club = 
| gym = 
| collegeteam = 
| headcoach = Zhang Jian
| assistcoach = 
| formercoach = 
| choreographer = 
| eponymousskills = 
| retired = 1988
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = <!-- see [[Template:MedalRelatedTemplates]] -->
{{MedalCountry|{{CHN}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]]|[[Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Floor]]}}
{{MedalGold|1984 Los Angeles|[[Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Pommel Horse]]}}
{{MedalGold|1984 Los Angeles|[[Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Rings]]}}
{{MedalSilver|1984 Los Angeles|[[Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}
{{MedalSilver|1984 Los Angeles|[[Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Vault]]}}
{{MedalBronze|1984 Los Angeles|[[Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|All-Around]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1983 Budapest]]|Team all-around}}
{{MedalGold|[[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]]|Rings}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1983 Budapest]]|Vault}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]]|Team all-around}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]]|Pommel horse}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]]|Rings}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]]|Team all-around}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1981 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1981 Moscow]]|Team all-around}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1983 Budapest]]|Rings}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1983 Budapest]]|Floor}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]]|Floor}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIG World Cup Final|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1982 Zagreb]]|All-Around}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1982 Zagreb]]|Floor}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1982 Zagreb]]|Pommel Horse}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1982 Zagreb]]|Rings}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1982 Zagreb]]|Vault}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1982 Zagreb]]|Horizontal Bar}}
{{MedalBronze|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1982 Zagreb]]|Parallel Bars}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1986 Beijing]]|All-Around}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1986 Beijing]]|Floor Exercise}}
{{MedalGold|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1986 Beijing]]|Pommel Horse}}
{{MedalBronze|[[List of medalists at the FIG World Cup Final#Artistic gymnastics|1986 Beijing]]|Rings}}
| native_name = Lij Ningz
| native_name_lang = za
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| s = 李宁
| t = 李寧
| p = Lǐ Níng
| order = st
}}

'''Li Ning''' ({{zh|s=李宁}}; {{langx|za|Lij Ningz}}; born March 10, 1963, in [[Liuzhou]], [[Guangxi]]) is a Chinese billionaire entrepreneur, the founder of the eponymous sportswear company [[Li-Ning]], and retired gymnast of [[Zhuang people|Zhuang]] ethnicity. He lives in Hong Kong.

== Gymnastics career ==
Li started training when he was eight and was selected for the national team in 1980. In 1982, he won six of the seven medals awarded at the Sixth World Cup Gymnastic Competition, earning him the title "Prince of Gymnastics" ({{zh|s=体操王子|t=體操王子}}).

Li is most famous for winning six medals at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]], the first Olympics in which the [[China|People's Republic of China]] participated. He won three gold medals (in [[floor exercise]], [[pommel horse]], and [[Rings (gymnastics)|rings]]), two silver medals, and one bronze medal. Li became the most decorated Chinese athlete at the first Olympics that China participated in after the founding of the People's Republic in October 1949.

Li won 11 [[World Artistic Gymnastics Championships]] medals, including gold medals in the rings (1985) and team all-around (1983).<ref name=sr />

Li took part in his second Olympics at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] in Seoul, despite carrying injuries. It ended an illustrious gymnastic career, as he was off-form.

== Post-gymnastics ==
[[File:Stamp of Azerbaijan 384.jpg|thumb|Li on a 1996 [[Azerbaijan|Azerbaijani]] stamp]]

Li retired from sporting competition in 1988, and in 1990 he founded [[Li-Ning Company Limited]], which sells footwear and sporting apparel in China.<ref name=sr>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/li/li-ning-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417121704/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/li/li-ning-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-17 |title=Li Ning}}</ref> Li remains chairman of the company's board of directors. According to [[Hurun Report]]'s China Rich List 2014, he has an estimated fortune of RMB 5 billion, making him the 407th wealthiest person in China.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hurun.net/CN/Entrepreneur.aspx?nid=542 |title=China Rich List 2014 – Li Ning |access-date=10 September 2015 |publisher=Hurun Report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305161528/http://www.hurun.net/CN/Entrepreneur.aspx?nid=542 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Li was inducted into the [[International Gymnastics Hall of Fame]] in 2000, becoming the first Chinese inductee.<ref>{{cite web |title=LI NING |work=International Gymnastics Hall of Fame |url=http://www.ighof.com/honorees/honorees_ning.html |access-date=May 12, 2007}}</ref>

In 2017, a statue was erected in his honor on the shores of Lake Geneva in Montreux.<ref>[https://www.thinksport.org/en/agenda/network/inauguration-of-the-statue-of-li-ning-6010 Inauguration of the statue of LI Ning]
</ref>

At the [[2008 Summer Olympics]], Li ignited the [[cauldron]] at the [[2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|opening ceremony]] after being hoisted high into the air with cables and miming running around the [[Beijing National Stadium|stadium's]] rim.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7547074.stm|title= Games begin with spectacular show|access-date=2008-08-08|date=2008-08-08|publisher=BBC.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.intlgymnast.com/olympics/536.html|title=Li Flies High at Opening Ceremonies|access-date=2008-08-08|date=2008-08-08|publisher=International Gymnast|archive-date=2008-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080809123241/http://www.intlgymnast.com/olympics/536.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121964720621268641 | work=The Wall Street Journal | title=Li Ning on the Beijing Olympics | first=Mei | last=Fong | date=2008-08-25}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Li is married to [[Chen Yongyan]], a fellow gymnast who won an Olympic bronze in 1984.<ref name=sr />

== See also ==
* [[List of multiple Olympic medalists at a single Games]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{Sports links}}
* [http://www.gymn-forum.net/bios/men/li_ning.html List of competitive results at Gymn Forum]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061219145229/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 (magazine)|Time]]'', 2006

{{S-start}}
{{S-sports|oly}}
{{Succession box| title=[[List of people who have lit the Olympic Cauldron|Final Olympic torchbearer]] | before=[[Stefania Belmondo]] | after=[[Catriona Le May Doan]], [[Steve Nash]],<br />[[Nancy Greene]] and [[Wayne Gretzky]]| years=[[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing 2008]]}}
{{Succession box| title=[[List of people who have lit the Olympic Cauldron|Final Summer Olympic torchbearer]] | before=[[Nikolaos Kaklamanakis]] | after=Callum Airlie, Jordan Duckitt, [[Desiree Henry]], Katie Kirk, Cameron MacRitchie, Aidan Reynolds, and [[Adelle Tracey]]| years=[[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing 2008]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Floor Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Pommel Horse Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Rings Men}}
{{NavigationWorldChampionsArtisticGymnasticsMenTC|1983}}
{{NavigationWorldChampionsArtisticGymnasticsMen’sStillRings}}
{{Asian Games Champions Gymnastics Individual Men}}
{{Asian Games Champions Gymnastics Floor Men}}
{{Asian Games Champions Gymnastics Pommel Horse Men}}
{{Asian Games Champions Gymnastics Rings Men}}
{{International Gymnastics Hall of Fame members}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Ning}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Asian Games gymnasts for China]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in gymnastics]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists in gymnastics]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for China]]
[[Category:Chinese male artistic gymnasts]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Guangxi]]
[[Category:Gymnasts at the 1982 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Gymnasts at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Gymnasts at the 1986 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Gymnasts at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Gymnasts from Guangxi]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1982 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1986 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships]]
[[Category:Olympic cauldron lighters]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Olympic gymnasts for China]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for China]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for China]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in gymnastics]]
[[Category:Peking University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Liuzhou]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Summer World University Games medalists in gymnastics]]
[[Category:World champion gymnasts]]
[[Category:Zhuang people]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1981 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:20th-century Chinese sportsmen]]