International GYMNAST Magazine: Li Continues Strong Comeback

Li Continues Strong Comeback
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Amanda Turner on May 09, 2008
 
After missing the past two world championships, Chinese star Li Xiaopeng proved
he is on track for the Olympics with a 16.900 on parallel bars Thursday at the
Chinese National Championships in Tianjin.  Li Xiaopeng won the parallel bars
title at the Cottbus Cup in April
Li, a 12-time world medalist and two-time Olympic champion, has struggled with
foot and ankle injuries over the past several years but made a successful
return on vault in the men's qualification competition.
Li's 16.900 on parallel bars is likely a record, but he followed that with two
breaks on high bar.
"For the past two years I have not participated in any national competitions,
so there is a bit of stress," said Li, who will turn 27 in July. "After the
competition I hope to be able to make a few good adjustments and improve in a
short period of time."
Said head coach Huang Yubin said, "If Li Xiaopeng did not have any mistakes on
high bar, today's competition could be called perfect. We allow athletes
mistakes  errors in our preparation for the Olympic Games can be a good
thing."
Li, the 1999, 2002 and 2003 world champion on vault, plans to challenge for the
Olympic vault title in Beijing. In addition to his namesake vault  a Yurchenko
half-on layout Randi off  he also has a second vault with a 7.0 A-panel score.
The high score of the day was a 17.100 on still rings from both Yang Wei and
Chen Yibing.
Lu Bin, who won three golds at the 2007 "Good Luck Beijing" Tournament, is out
of the race for the Olympics after suffering a dislocated and fractured elbow
Saturday. Without Lu, China now has 10 male gymnasts in contention for the
Olympic team: Li, Yang, Chen, Huang Xu, Feng Zhe, Feng Jing, Teng Haibin, Xiao
Qin, Liang Fuliang and Zou Kai.
With the Olympics beginning in just over 90 days, Huang said that the team's
next major task is to improve its consistency. China, the reigning world
champion, is the heavy favorite to win the Olympic team title this summer in
Beijing.
"In addition, injury prevention is also critical because these athletes are
national treasures," he said. "After all, they are at the world's top level of
difficulty."
Competition continues Friday in Tianjin with the men's and women's all-around
final.