Li Ning (Simplified Chinese: 李宁; Traditional Chinese: 李寧; Pinyin: Lǐ Níng;) is a famous Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur. He was born in a Zhuang family on September 8, 1963 in Liuzhou, Guangxi, China.
Li is most famous for winning 6 medals at the 1984 Los Angeles 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 Beijing Li-Ning Sports Goods Company, which sells footwear and sporting apparel in China. Li-Ning Sports Goods counts Nike and Adidas as its main competitors, and the products of Li-Ning Sports Goods continue to be more popular in China than those of foreign competitors.
In 2005, the Li Ning Company’s annual revenue was in excess of US$300 million dollars and the company is public company traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Li Ning remains the company’s Chairman of the Board.
Li was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2000.