Striking Gold Again : Chinese Medalist in 1984 Olympics Brings Business Savvy to Chatsworth Academy

Li Ning goofed around when a photographer asked him to perform a few moves in the gym.

He giggled and said his arms ached on the rings, then burst out laughing before performing a few tumbles on a nearby mat.

“I’m too old for this,” he joked. “Maybe I should be taking a photo with a beer.”

It’s been 12 years since the 33-year-old Li won six gymnastics medals--three gold, two silver and a bronze--in the L.A. Olympics.

He quit competing eight years ago, which may explain why he’s a bit rusty. Li retired after disappointing performances in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where he failed to medal.

But even after all these years, Li is still a superstar in China who is considered one of the sport’s greatest competitors by the international gymnastics community.

“He is like Michael Jackson in China,” said Ming Ming Yang, the former Chinese national team coach. “Everyone knows who he is there. He can’t walk down the street without being recognized.”

Since retiring, Li has parlayed his past glories into a new kind of success--in the business world. He owns two gymnastics schools--one in Chatsworth, the other in China--and one of the largest sportswear companies in China.

He is also an International Olympic Committee gymnastics judge and was in Atlanta to view the next generation of Olympic champions.

Li, who was a judge in 1992 in Barcelona, served as a technical committee member in Atlanta, which means he was part of a panel that ensures scores are fair and that judges abide by set regulations.

Li will have the same job at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

“As a competitor I wanted high scores from judges, so as a judge the most important thing is to give fair scores,” Li said through an interpreter. “It’s the most important confirmation for athletes.”

Li’s heart will always be with the Chinese team, but he was glad to see the U.S. women win the team gold in Atlanta.

“Of course I root for China,” he said. “I always will. But I was still so very happy for the U.S. women.”

Li and his wife, 1984 all-around bronze medalist Yong Yan Chen, returned to their Simi Valley home July 31, but before they could unpack, they were on their way back to China, where the couple live most of the year. The Communist Chinese government allows both to travel freely and Li has a green card to work in the U.S.

“It may not be as free as in the USA, but everyone who wants to can leave China,” Li said. “You can come and go as you please.”

The Chatsworth school is operated by Li’s longtime friend, John Kong. It has a staff of 17, headed by Ming Ming, and about 450 students. Because of his business commitments, Li has little time to coach students.

But the state-of-the-art facility with five beams, a fast-track, five sets of uneven bars, huge trampolines, a viewing area for parents and two dance studios on the second level certainly has an international flavor. The gym walls are decorated with huge Olympic rings and flags from six countries, among them the United States, Canada and Russia.

“It’s very sophisticated,” said Sandi Allen, whose 7-year-old son, Ricky, attends the academy. “Kids come here from all over. It’s really a spectacular place compared to many of the gyms I’ve seen.”

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Li opened the school in 1992, a year after the inauguration of a similar, but much larger, academy in China.

He wanted American students to have a top-notch facility where they could learn gymnastics at a world-class level.

Li picked Southern California because he enjoyed his stay during the 1984 Olympics and wanted to promote the sport in the area.

In fact, the most memorable moment in Li’s career, which includes multiple Chinese national titles and two all-around world championships, took place in Los Angeles.

In 1984 he won gold medals in the floor exercise, pommel horse and rings, all with perfect scores.

“The biggest moment for me was winning the gold in the floor because it was my first perfect score,” Li said. “I felt that the whole world was mine.”

An eight-by-10-inch color photo sits in Li’s office at his Chatsworth gym. It was taken during the L.A. Games and features him in a blue blazer with all his medals around his neck.

“My dad has all of [the medals] in China,” Li said. “I gave them to him.”

Li estimates that more than 200,000 people lined the streets of China to welcome him after his Olympic triumph.

“It was incredible,” Li said. “It was like the whole city was there . . . for me!”

Li is a strong supporter of the Chinese national gymnastics team and provides uniforms that feature his logo, which has gained favor among the Chinese.

In fact, the Chinese team had been scheduled to visit Li Ning’s academy on its way home from Atlanta. A banquet to honor the gymnasts and a student show to entertain them was scheduled, but the trip was canceled because the Chinese government was concerned about the team’s safety in the wake of the TWA explosion and Olympic bombing.

“I was quite disappointed and so were the Chinese gymnasts,” Li said. “The kids here were really looking forward to meeting them, but there is nothing I can do. It was a decision by the Chinese delegation.”

Li will see the team again in September at the Asian championships in China. He plans to always be involved with the sport that brought him fame.

“I want to produce a gold medalist, either here in the U.S. or in China,” Li said. “I’ll have some candidates after the 2000 Olympics.”

And Li will demonstrate for his star pupil how it’s done on the rings and pommel horse. He may also do a tumble or two.