"Let change happen", "Anything is possible".
This is the advertising slogan of Li Ning's brand, and it is also Li Ning's attitude towards life.
As a myth in the Chinese gymnastics world, Li Ning has created one miracle after another in major competitions.
Even in the history of gymnastics in the world, there is a place that should not be underestimated.
After Li Ning retired, he turned his game to the business world.
Founded the sports brand of the same name, worth more than 10 billion, and became a legend in the business world.
Li Ning and his wife Chen Yongyan
Behind every successful man, there is a woman who pays silently.
Li Ning can achieve such a huge success without the support of his wife Chen Yongyan.
Today, Li Ning is full of white hair, but his wife Chen Yongyan, who is a year older than him, is still young and still has charm.
So, what kind of love story has happened between Li Ning and Chen Yongyan?
What kind of life are they living now?
"The Prince of Gymnastics", numerous awards
Li Ning was born in 1963 in Laibin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with his ancestral home in Foshan, Guangdong Province.
When Li Ning was young, there was no difference from other boys, they were all the same naughty.
In Laibin City, Li Ning spent a happy childhood, he would play with his friends every day.
When he was a child, Li Ning was very interested in model plays, so his parents sent him to learn model plays.
However, not long after learning the model play, Li Ning rested for a few days due to uncomfortable throat.
During the rest period, Li Ning was not idle, and he developed a strong interest in the school's gymnastics team.
Li ning
When the school teacher found that Li Ning was talented in gymnastics, he proposed that he be trained in professional gymnastics.
So, after Li Ning's sixth birthday, his parents sent him to practice gymnastics.
Sports were boring, and at that time, Li Ning wanted to enter the gymnastics team, and there was no other way but repetitive practice.
When he was a child, Li Ning never complained, he practiced every day according to the requirements of the teacher, even if he was injured, he did not dare to stop.
Hard work will be rewarded.
Two years later, at the age of 8, Li Ning was selected for the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Gymnastics Team, the youngest gymnast at the time.
With innate physical conditions and acquired diligent training, Li Ning has made great progress in gymnastics and has been valued by coaches.
Li ning
In 1978, 15-year-old Li Ning was on the horizontal bar, hoop and saddle horse of the Guangxi Gymnastics Team Training Hall, sweating up and down, moving left and right, a series of movements as smooth as clouds and flowing water.
At this time, Li Ning already had a goal, he just wanted to train well, improve his level, and strive to enter the national team as soon as possible.
Two years later, Li Ning was selected for the national team as he wished.
The moment he entered the national team, he knew that he still had the burden of winning glory for his country.
In 1982, Li Ning ushered in the first highlight of his life.
In the sixth World Cup Gymnastics Competition, he won six gold medals in the men's individual all-around, free gymnastics, pommel horse, hoop, vaulting horse and horizontal bar.
If it doesn't sound, it's already a hit.
Li Ning's first appearance on the world stage created a miracle in the history of world gymnastics.
To this day, this record remains unbroken.
At that time, Yugoslavia commented in the "Battle Newspaper": "Li Ning opened a new chapter in the history of world gymnastics. ”
Li ning
Li Ning, who became famous in World War I, became the pride of the Chinese people, and he not only won various gold medals, but also captured the hearts of the Chinese people.
But Li Ning has maintained a low-key style after the game, and he has once again thrown himself into intense practice.
Because he wants to get better at the Los Angeles Olympics.
In 1984, Li Ning once again amazed the world.
At the Olympic Games, he won 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze, winning glory for the country.
From 1982 to 1988, in that short period of six years.
Li Ning won 14 world championships and 106 gold medals.
The international sports world praised him as the "Prince of Gymnastics".
In addition, Li Ning also created original actions such as "hanging ring after hanging front swing with right angle support", "hanging ring Li Ning positive hanging", "double bar Li Ning giant loop", etc., which are still imitated by gymnastics juniors.
It can be said that in the gymnastics world, Li Ning has become a benchmark figure.
He has won numerous awards and is already famous in the world of sports.
Li ning
However, after years of practice, Li Ning's body was already scarred.
As a result, he could only announce his retirement on 13 April 1988.
However, retiring does not mean that Li Ning has since faded out of the sports world.
In 2000, he was voted one of the "25 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century" and was china's first world gymnastics celebrity.
From learning gymnastics at the age of 6 to retiring at the age of 25, Li Ning dedicated his youth to gymnastics and is a veritable "prince of gymnastics".
After Li Ning retired, he did not become a coach like other athletes.
Instead, he entered the business world and opened his own business path.
Entering the business world, worth tens of billions
Li Ning is a rare talent in gymnastics.
But in business, he still needs to be honed more, and Li Jingwei is his "nobleman".
In that year, Li Jingwei, general manager of Guangdong Jianlibao Group, invited Li Ning, who was in the limelight, to serve as a special assistant in the group.
Li ning
At Jianlibao Group, Li Ning was exposed to a completely different world.
He followed Li Jingwei to participate in various social activities and learned a lot of business philosophy.
In later interviews, Li Ning would mention Li Jingwei's help to him.
Because it was Li Jingwei who made him a special athlete find his place in society.
A year later, Li Ning joined Jianlibao Group and founded his own sportswear company.
He started a fashion brand, and also opened a precedent for the management of Chinese sporting goods brands.
Everything is difficult at the beginning, and it is even more so to do business.
Because of his lack of experience, Li Ning experienced repeated failures, and the company's losses reached 3 billion yuan.
However, in the dictionary of athlete Li Ning's life, the word abandonment never appears.
On the field, even if Li Ning is seriously injured, he will grit his teeth and participate in all the games.
In business, he will also go up against difficulties.
Li Ning took a group photo with everyone
Li Ning accumulated experience in the failure, successfully reversed the company's losses, and the company slowly began to make profits.
In 1992, the brand founded by Li Ning became the special award-receiving equipment for the Chinese sports delegation.
This not only means that Chinese athletes are over, wearing the history of foreign sports brand clothing at the Olympic Games.
It also means that the "Li Ning brand" sportswear has been recognized by the market.
It wasn't until this year that Li Ning dared to let go of his dangling heart.
He finally stopped worrying about the company facing closure.
At that time, Li Ning's company adopted a family management model.
After examining the business model of those listed companies, Li Ning felt that this model had great drawbacks.
Because the management is almost all family members, this is not conducive to the selection of excellent employees, nor is it conducive to the development of the company.
Therefore, Li Ning quickly abolished the family management model.
Those members of the family have stepped out of management, and this reform is key to the company's success.
Li Ning took a group photo with everyone
In 2004, after years of development, the company founded by Li Ning was successfully listed in Hong Kong.
Sales that year hit an all-time high.
In addition, the "Li Ning" sportswear brand has become the first brand of sporting goods in China, and it has become famous for a while.
In addition, Li Ning is a world-famous gymnast, so he has also pushed his clothing brand overseas.
And with the overseas dealers in many countries and regions have signed agency agreements.
Just when the company's development was booming, Li Ning encountered another problem.
That is, the professional managers he brought in failed to manage the company well.
Because of the mistakes of professional managers, Li Ning's company has once again fallen into a trough.
It was not until the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games that Li Ning, who served as the torchbearer, single-handedly brought the company back to life.
Li Ning attended the event
At the Beijing Olympics, Li Ning, who was afraid of heights, was hoisted by Weiya to an altitude of 48 meters.
Successfully completed the difficult action of flying ignition in front of hundreds of millions of viewers.
Before that, Li Ning practiced every day early and returned late, and he didn't want to make any mistakes in the Olympic Games.
Because of the high degree of secrecy of the work, Li Ning did not tell anyone about his role as a torchbearer, including his wife, Chen Yongyan.
At the Olympic Games, Li Ning appeared in front of the audience in this way.
His appearance reminds everyone of the moments when he won glory for his country.
The sports brand he founded also gained exposure.
After that, Li Ning was no longer limited to sports brands, he began to invest in other fields.
At the same time, his value has been rising, and now it has exceeded 10 billion.
Li Ning at the Beijing Olympics
Green plum bamboo horse, ten years of love long-distance running
Although Li Ning was once the world-famous "gymnastics prince", he was very low-key.
His family is rarely seen in the public eye.
Until some time ago, Li Ning's wife Chen Yongyan sent a group photo.
People found that the 58-year-old Li Ning was full of white hair, while the 59-year-old Chen Yongyan looked very young and still had charm.
In fact, Li Ning can achieve such great achievements in sports and business, inseparable from the support of his wife Chen Yongyan.
As early as the Guangxi gymnastics team, Li Ning knew Chen Yongyan, and the two could be regarded as real green plum bamboo horses.
Li Ning was 8 years old that year, Chen Yongyan was 9 years old, and Li Ning was very naughty when he was a child.
Once, during his lunch break, he sneaked out of his dormitory and came to the practice room.
When Li Ning walked into the practice room, he found a girl practicing churning and jumping on the balance beam.
This girl is Chen Yongyan.
Li Ning and his wife
When I saw Chen Yongyan fall down again and again, she got up again to practice.
Li Ning was shocked by Chen Yongyan's hard work, so he also practiced.
Since then, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan have become good friends without saying anything.
No matter what difficulties they encounter, the two will solve them together.
In the gymnastics team, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan accompanied each other like family.
In boring training, they will always give each other encouragement.
Because Li Ning and Chen Yongyan have a common dream in their hearts, that is, to enter the national team.
Therefore, in the years that followed, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan always practiced together.
They will point out each other's shortcomings and then progress together.
When Li Ning was selected for the national team, Chen Yongyan also entered the national team with her hard work.
Chen Yongyan
When Chen Yongyan learned that she had been selected, she had never cried before, and she cried a lot, which was a tear of joy.
In fact, when she was a child, Chen Yongyan was not favored by the coach.
The coach felt she was too thin to practice gymnastics.
However, Chen Yongyan still insisted on her dream.
She kept practicing various movements, even during her lunch break.
After years of hard training, Chen Yongyan finally entered the national team as she wished.
And Chen Yongyan's hardships in recent years, only Li Ning alone knows.
Whether in the Guangxi gymnastics team or the national team, Chen Yongyan's love for gymnastics has directly affected Li Ning.
And when Chen Yongyan trained tirelessly, Li Ning would always accompany her and train with her.
Li ning
At the 9th Asian Games in New Delhi, India, Chen Yongyan completed with super skill.
She won the women's gymnastics all-around championship and was known as the "Asian gymnastics princess".
After the Asian Games, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan, who won the men's gymnastics all-around championships, were called "gymnastics double-strong" by the media.
It was in this year that Li Ning and Chen Yongyan established a romantic relationship.
The two men and women look very well matched.
Before that, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan were known as friends.
But as everyone knows, love has already sprouted in their hearts.
Since they had known each other since childhood, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan did not dare to puncture this layer of window paper.
It was not until this New Delhi Games that the two expressed their hearts.
When Li Ning won three gold medals at the Los Angeles Olympics, he gave one of them to his girlfriend Chen Yongyan.
This is enough to prove Li Ning's love for Chen Yongyan.
Li Ning and Chen Yongyan
Chen Yongyan not only spent a difficult training career with Li Ning, but also witnessed the peak moment of Li Ning's life.
When everyone is shouting for Li Ning, only Chen Yongyan will worry about his body, which is also what makes Li Ning most moved.
When Li Ning fell into confusion after retiring, Chen Yongyan would always accompany him.
Encourage him and support him in anything.
When everyone around him opposed Li Ning's entry into the business world, only his girlfriend Chen Yongyan supported him.
For Li Ning, Chen Yongyan is his spiritual pillar.
In the 10-year long-distance love run, their feelings have increased unabated, envying others.
In 1993, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan held a grand wedding.
With the blessing of relatives and friends, the two entered the palace of marriage.
Li Ning with his wife and son
After the marriage, Chen Yongyan continued to support her husband Li Ning.
When the company fell into a trough, Chen Yongyan advised Li Ning not to give up.
For more than 20 years, Li Ning and Chen Yongyan have long been each other's soul mates.
When Li Ning built his own business empire, he was also the first to announce good news to his wife.
In Vanity Fair, there are many instances of marital discord.
But Li Ning's feelings for his wife Chen Yongyan are consistent, and the two have never had any gossip.
Happy family and committed to public welfare
In 1999, Li Ning and his wife Chen Yongyan ushered in the crystallization of love, and their son Li Xiaoning was born.
The birth of their son has transformed Li Ning and Chen Yongyan from a sweet two-person world into a happy family of three.
Li ning
For Li Ning and Chen Yongyan, who are also gymnasts, they naturally hope that their son Li Xiaoning can embark on a sports career and become a gymnast.
However, in a later interview, Li Ning talked about this matter, but he said:
"A child has a child's life, and we only hope that he has a healthy body and grows up safely."
For children, it is very happy to have an enlightened father like Li Ning.
He doesn't impose his own expectations on his children.
And when Li Ning is busy with his career, Chen Yongyan will keep his home in good order and will not let Li Ning worry.
From the "Asian Gymnastics Princess" to the housewife, Chen Yongyan's identity has changed dramatically.
Li Ning and his son
When everyone was feeling sorry for Chen Yongyan, only Chen Yongyan knew that she had made the most correct choice herself.
At this time, Chen Yongyan's greatest wish is to form a happy family with her lover.
After marriage, Chen Yongyan sacrificed a lot for the family, and Li Ning saw all this in his eyes.
The only thing he could do was to take extra care of his wife.
When her son Li Xiaoning grew up, Chen Yongyan gave birth to a daughter Li Xiaoyan for Li Ning again.
From the name of her daughter, we can see Li Ning's love for his wife Chen Yongyan.
Today, Li Ning's sons and daughters have grown up, and they have each inherited the advantages of their parents.
In the eyes of outsiders, Li Ning, who is worth tens of billions, is a super rich man, and he has endless money.
Li Ning with his son and daughter
For Li Ning, his family is the greatest wealth.
At the same time, he is doing his best to protect his family.
Although Li Ning is a public figure, few media outlets will take pictures of his wife, Chen Yongyan, and her children.
Unless it was Li Ning who personally brought them to the event.
Nowadays, "Li Ning" stores can be seen in major shopping malls, and those sportswear are also loved by consumers.
From the establishment of the brand in 1989 to the world-renowned brand, Li Ning can be regarded as a representative figure from scratch.
To get to this point, it depends on the unremitting sportsmanship in Li Ning's bones.
It is in order to spread this spirit to the public that Li Ning will create the brand of the same name.
In addition, Li Ning is also committed to various public welfare undertakings.
Group photo of Li Ning's family of four
According to the incomplete statistics of the "Hurun Charity List", in 2008 and 2009, Li Ning's investment in public welfare and charity reached 101 million yuan and 110 million yuan respectively.
Since 1994, Li Ning has been committed to public welfare undertakings, and he has funded the establishment of the China Sports Foundation.
In 2001, Li Ning also participated in a large-scale charity event organized by the Red Cross Society of China and personally served as the ambassador of the "Chinese Bone Marrow Bank".
In addition, in order to call on people to protect wild animals, Li Ning also personally participated in the "Shark Protection Action".
In order to give back to his hometown, Li Ning also founded the "Guangxi Li Ning Foundation".
It is used to support public welfare undertakings such as education, sports, and disaster relief in Guangxi.
Li Ning took a group photo with friends
In Li Ning's life, the things he loves most are sports and charity.
Although his company has encountered many difficulties, as long as he has spare energy, he will take out some of the funds to do charity.
From the "Prince of Gymnastics" to the charity ambassador, whether it is to win glory for the country or to help others, Li Ning has been doing what he can.
Li Ning is a person who likes to try, and in a rapidly changing society, he once again seized the business opportunity.
In 2021, Li Ning, who had never played e-sports, funded an e-sports company.
A team was set up to participate in esports events and achieved good results.
Today, Li Ning has reached the age of retirement, but he will not stop his life.
He will only spend more time on things he likes.
Although Li Ning was already full of white hair, he had always maintained a good mental state.
He would write with a brush in his study when he was finished with his work, and he would believe in Buddhism as before.
Li ning
In fact, as early as the national team, Li Ning began to believe in Buddhism.
It is said that people who believe in Buddhism have good hearts, which may be one of the reasons why Li Ning is enthusiastic about public welfare undertakings.
Compared with Li Ning, who has lost her hair, Zhang Yongyan seems to be "frozen age".
At Li Ning's side, his wife, Zhang Yongyan, had black hair.
There are no wrinkles on the face, and it is impossible to see its true age.
The different states of Li Ning and his wife Zhang Yongyan just show that Li Ning takes good care of his wife.
Did not let Zhang Yongyan suffer from life, this is a man's responsibility.
In the decades, Li Ning and his wife have never been separated.
Zhang Yongyan accompanied Li Ning through every important stage of his life.
Today, Zhang Yongyan has been favored by her husband Li Ning as a princess and lives a happy life.
From the green plum bamboo horse to the white head and the old man, the love story of Li Ning and Zhang Yongyan continues.
And Li Ning's sportsmanship will always inspire people.
What kind of feelings do you think Li Ning has for his wife Zhang Yongyan?
Welcome to share your views in the comments section, your recognition is our inexhaustible motivation to continue to create!