China’s gymnast, Liukin Tsang

Gymnast Liukin is a legendary figure from the ancient Chinese art of acrobatics and tumbling. Born in 1776 in what is today modern day China, Liukin actually began his gymnastic training at age six while attending the Beijing Theater for acrobatic performances. This early training would give rise to a lifetime of gymnastics prowess and accomplishments. Today Liukin’s reputation continues to grow not only in China but also in gymnastics circles throughout the world.

Today there are numerous athletes who make a hobby out of gymnastics, but few have the gymnast like Liukin. Born as Bin Ping in Hangzhou, Liukin was actually a child who excelled at many sports including playing baseball, softball, fencing, and even swimming when he was young. After being encouraged by a family member to enter unassisted gymnastics, Liukin trained for over a year before he was allowed to participate. He qualified for all three levels of competing, the first level being the all around champion and second place finishes at each of the three championships.

Gymnastics Today Although Liukin eventually became known as a true gymnast and joined the Beijing Olympic team later that year, his efforts were not rewarded due to a lack of funding. In order to continue competing he began traveling to the various European countries and placed well despite their lacking support for gymnastics at the time. Finally in 1900 the first Olympics were held in France and Liukin’s skills were recognized by the new French gymnastics coach, Ludov Kornmehl. Although it took nearly twenty years for Liukin to be included in the U.S. national team, he eventually achieved the same level of success as many other gymnasts.

Today Liukin is revered as the first Chinese American gymnast to earn a bronze in the Olympics. With the recent Beijing Olympics coming up in China, Liukin has become even more popular. Liukin is a four time all-around champion and a two time world champion. He is also an accomplished double jump master and is the world’s second best jump maker. Competitors compliment his ability to perform all of these duties with ease.

The All-Ages Journey One of Liukin’s greatest achievements was winning the uneven bars double gold at the 2021 Olympic games. This was a difficult task given that the Chinese had never won a medal on this type of apparatus before. This win however created the opportunity for Liukin to receive numerous other awards and recognition. Liukin is now a member of the U.S. gymnastics all-around team and the assistant trainer for the women’s team. He is also currently working toward becoming a doctor.

After being injured during his first year of competitive gymnastics, Liukin redoubled his efforts to make the Olympics happen. A month following his second trip to the national championships, Liukin fell ill and missed the worlds. However, he was back on the uneven bars, placing third, behind eventual winner Gabby Douglas and second place bronze medallist Sharapova. In the all-around competition, Liukin once again displayed his ability to execute various moves and gymnastics forms. He also demonstrated his ability to balance beam and tuck, setting both American and Chinese records. Although it may be sometime before Liukin matches up against the all-time record holder for the most bars defended, Liukin is certainly a threat.