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PAGE 16 • AUGUST 21, 2011 CHINA DAILY LEADING LIGHT FACTBOX Born: June 23, 1964 Birthplace: Hangzhou, Zhejiang Event: Artistic gymnastics Height: 1.58 m Performances: 1981 Japan International Gymnas- tics Invitational, gold in fl oor exercise, gold in vault 1982 9th New Delhi Asian Games, gold in vault 1983 12th World University Games, gold in vault 1983 22nd World Championships, gold in teams, gold in parallel bars 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, gold in vault; silver in teams; silver in fl oor exercise; 4th in horizontal bar 1986 10th Asian Games, gold in vault 1987 24th World Championships, gold in fl oor exercise, gold in vault 1988 CHEN ZHUANYI / FOR CHINA DAILY Seoul Olympic Games, gold in Former world and Olympic vaulting horse champion Lou Yun enjoys himself with a group of children during his visit to an elementary school in vault Henan province to promote the Beijing Olympic Games spirit on Aug 29, 2007. Lou vaults into a new career CHAMPION GYMNAST NOW ‘KING OF THE CHEERLEADERS’ AFTER RETIRING FROM ACTIVE SPORT IN 1988 By LU YUN “The World University Games At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, through competitions and training. CHINA DAILY was an ideal platform for young the Chinese delegation only took “I have some expertise and dis- athletes to gain practical experience home five golds — just one of covered I was more interested in BEIJING — Li Ning, who started and a great opportunity for coaches which came from the gymnastics this,” Lou said. his own sportswear company, may to test the players,” Luo said. team, upon which high hopes had After the first national cheer- be the most famous, but he is not This was demonstrated when been placed. leading competition in 2008, Chi- the only, gymnast to reconnect Lou helped China land two con- Th e pressure was tremendous, na’s sports ministry offi cially put with the sport through entrepre- secutive Olympic golds in 1984 and many team members retired cheerleading on the agenda. Lou neurship aft er retiring from com- and 1988 — a feat surpassing the aft er the Games, including Li Ning, realized it was a good way to pro- petition. exploits of even the “Prince of who received death threats for his mote fi tness nationwide. His former teammate, two-time Gymnastics”, Li Ning. errors at the Olympics. “It’s only a start,” Lou said. Olympic vault champion Lou Yun, Luo’s vault performance at Even though Lou won the team’s “More innovative skills — has founded a sports manage- the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics only gold, he also gave up gymnas- named after the creators — are ment company, which is provid- stunned the judges, who gave him tics aft er Seoul. needed to further promote fi tness. ing cheerleaders for the Shenzhen an incredibly high score of 19.950 “I decided to quit aft er I saw Li Th is is a Chinese gymnastics tradi- Universiade. — only 0.05 points short of perfec- Ning,” Lou said. tion. I hope young kids can fi nd “Th e essence of cheerleading is tion. The jump, which was later “I just didn’t want to end up like role models to learn from through bringing youth happiness,” Lou named after Luo, remains chal- him.” this event (Universiade).” said. lenging to many gymnasts. While Li successfully launched Lou also believed more enter- Th e former gymnast has a long Lou said that he is a little “jeal- his sports brand, Lou’s King of the prises will cultivate the passions of connection with the World Uni- ous” of today’s athletes. Vault sneaker brand fl opped. the young people. versity Games. “Now, athletes can show their “I will not evaluate my success by “Sports should be a source of The “King of the Vault” was emotion by running with the fl ag how much money I earn,” Lou said. happiness for all and especially for selected for the National Gymnas- wrapped around their shoulders “I just want to create something young people,” Lou said. tics team in 1977 and then won or even jumping into the stands to new, something that only belongs “Chinese parents should know a gold in 1983 at the 12th World express their happiness,” Lou said. to Lou Yun.” that sending their kids to sports University Games in Edmonton, “In the past we could not even PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Lou founded his sports manage- school does not mean the kids are Canada. He repeated the win four show our misery when we failed. Lou Yun competes on the ment company in 2007 with Bei- supposed to be professional ath- years later at the 14th Universiade We went abroad representing the vaulting horse at the 1988 Seoul jing Media Group. The company letes. Sports are more about par- in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. whole country, not ourselves.” Olympic Games. focuses on promoting cheerleading ticipation and having fun.”.

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