dismount
from the IG photo files…
EILEEN LANGSLEY/IG (2)
HANDCUFFED
WHEN world all-around champion Li Xiaoshuang suffered the indignity of having his hand slip through the ring while lowering to a cross in the 1996 Olympic compulsory round, his favored Chinese team folded to second
place after the optionals. As Russia celebrated its first Olympic team title as an independent country, Li summoned his deep resolve in the all-around final. Trailing
Russia’s Alexei Nemov with one event remaining, Li received some well-timed advice.
“I was thinking about [how close it was],” Li said at the time. “My coach said, ‘Don’t
think about it. Look forward. If you look back, you might make a mistake.’” Li listened. He nailed his high bar routine and, by only .049, became China’s first Olympic
all-around champion. He returned to his country a hero and started his own sporting
goods company. He also opened the Li Xiaoshuang Gymnastics School in his native
Xiantao, Hubei. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Li was a torch-bearer in the Bird’s
Nest during the opening ceremonies—and there were no slip-ups. —Dwight Normile
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