Li Lingwei

Li Lingwei, born on 4 January 1964 in Lishui, Zhejiang, is a Chinese badminton player of the 1980s, a brilliant all-around player admired for her court coverage and net play. With her teammate and rival Han Aiping she dominated international women's badminton for most of the decade. Li won the singles at the IBF World Championships in 1983 and 1989, won over 40 open international titles, took four consecutive World Cup singles crowns from 1984 to 1987 and was part of the pioneer team that won China's first Uber Cup in 1984. She never competed at the Olympics, because badminton did not become an Olympic sport until 1992. She retired in 1989, entered the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1998, and later became head coach of the women's national team, an IBF council member and, in 2012, a member of the International Olympic Committee, where she advocates for women's participation in sport.