The No. 1 Gymnastics Podcast in the Galaxy

125: Growing Up In China – Jiani Wu Interview

jiani wu at the 1984 olympics and as a child in china
Jiani Wu

LISTEN HERE

This Week's Interview

What was it like growing up in China before they were a gymnastics super power? Jiani tells us all about it. A native of Shanghai back when China was a closed society, Jiani was one of the first allowed to compete outside of the country. Wu helped the Chinese women win their first World Championships team medal, a silver at the 1981 Worlds in Moscow and a bronze for the team at the 1984 Olympics. We discuss:

  • Adjusting to coaching in the United States and working with parents.
  • The Yurchenko loop and Teza skills that she was doing back in the 70’s.
  • Her coaching philosophy and how it ties into her experience as an accidental champion.
  • Secret romances and how she met her husband in the training halls of the national training center.
  • The training schedule and beam complex seriousness of the Chinese training regime.
  • Gymnastics urban legend busting about China’s conditioning, pizza and hamburgers.
  • What China was like in the 1970’s before their athletes were allowed to compete outside of the country.
  • Coaching both of her daughters, 2012 Olympic alternate Anna Li and level 9 Andrea Li.
  • That time she Yin Alvarez’d when Gabby Perea hit her bar routine.
  • The major award China gave her for winning an Olympic medal.

 

Guest Links

Legacy Elite Gymnastics

flyer with Nastia Liukin for Legacy Elite Winter Classic meet registration

Related Episodes

Related Photos

jiani wu beam
Jiani Wu performing the Yurchenko Loop
gymnast Jiani Wu
Jiani Wu
Jiani Wu eponymous skill
Jiani Wu performing her eponymous skill on bars.

Related Videos
More Ways to Listen

 

GymCastic Itunes Icon stitcher-icon Download This Episode
  tumblr Google+

Creative Commons License

1 COMMENT

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Marissa
Marissa
9 years ago

I just wanted to say that I love this type of interview and find it so very interesting! Thanks for all the hard work you do for each and every podcast. Keep up the good work!

NCAA GymCastic Live Show in Fort Worth, TX April 19, 2024

Other episodes

Join the club!

Social Stream

1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x