Name: Li Ya

Sport: Gymnastics

Date of birth: June 13, 1988

Home: Anhui Province

Height: 1.40 meters

Weight: 33 kg

Experience:

1999: Anhui Province Gymnastics Team

2002: Selected for the national gymnastics team

Major achievements:

2001 9th National Games: 8th place, balance beam, asymmetric bars

2002 National Gymnastics Championship: Champion, balance beam

2003: the forth of the World Gymnastics Championship

2004 National Championship: Champion, asymmetric bars

2004 Athens Olympics: Gold medal, asymmetric bars

2006 World Cup: Champion, asymmetric bars

Li Ya has a move named after her called the "Li Ya Turn," which is one of 33 gymnastics moves named after Chinese athletes.

Li Ya began practicing gymnastics in 1993. Her specialties are the balance beam and asymmetric bars, where she is known for her stability and flexibility. Her performance in the asymmetric bars, in particular, has become the focus of public attention.

She is practicing a new move for this year's competitions. It has her somersaulting forward, turning 180 degrees so she can hold the bar, and then somersaulting forward again to hold another bar. The move was created during her training over the winter and is particularly difficult. Li Ya was not able to complete it during the World Gymnastics Championship. If she can do it, however, the move would be called "Li Ya's jump."

(China.org.cn June 23, 2008)