Chinese shot putter Gong Lijiao retires Gong Lijiao (left) along with Guo Tianqian (former World U20 champion) (right)
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Guangzhou – 18 November 2025:
Multiple World and Olympic shot-put medalist Gong Lijiao (36) announced her retirement after winning the quadrangular multi-sport Chinese National Games here for the fifth time in a row.
Born on 24 January 1989 in Shijiazhuang, Luquan District, China, Lijiao had a career spanning well over two decades during which she amassed one of the largest collections of international medals.
Commencing her journey with a winning note in the Under-16 category at the Junior Nationals in Huaian in 2006, she went on to win her first major senior title when her native town organized the Chinese National Championships the following year. That victory earned her a berth in the national team for the 2007 World Championships held in Osaka, where she finished sixth.
Lijiao’s first major international success came in 2008, with a victory at the Asian Indoor Championships in Doha. Later that year, she got a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics.
In 2009, she retained her Asian title and earned a bronze medal at the Berlin World Championships.
China sent her to compete in the international circuit from 2010 onwards. She finished fourth at the 2012 Olympic Games but eventually upgraded to silver after both gold medalist Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Belarus) and bronze medalist Yevgeniya Kolodka (Russia) were disqualified for doping.
Gong won a gold in the Tokyo Olympics to complete a full set of medals in all colours from the five editions of the Games she participated. She also won medals at eight successive World Athletics Championships.
The legendary thrower had won as many as 14 national titles, in addition to three Asian Games gold medals. Her gold-winning 20.58m mark at the Olympic Games in Tokyo remains her career best.
Gong was trained by Li Meisu, another Chinese Olympic and Asian shot put medalist.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for Asian Athletics
Multiple World and Olympic shot-put medalist Gong Lijiao (36) announced her retirement after winning the quadrangular multi-sport Chinese National Games here for the fifth time in a row.
Born on 24 January 1989 in Shijiazhuang, Luquan District, China, Lijiao had a career spanning well over two decades during which she amassed one of the largest collections of international medals.
Commencing her journey with a winning note in the Under-16 category at the Junior Nationals in Huaian in 2006, she went on to win her first major senior title when her native town organized the Chinese National Championships the following year. That victory earned her a berth in the national team for the 2007 World Championships held in Osaka, where she finished sixth.
Lijiao’s first major international success came in 2008, with a victory at the Asian Indoor Championships in Doha. Later that year, she got a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics.
In 2009, she retained her Asian title and earned a bronze medal at the Berlin World Championships.
China sent her to compete in the international circuit from 2010 onwards. She finished fourth at the 2012 Olympic Games but eventually upgraded to silver after both gold medalist Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Belarus) and bronze medalist Yevgeniya Kolodka (Russia) were disqualified for doping.
Gong won a gold in the Tokyo Olympics to complete a full set of medals in all colours from the five editions of the Games she participated. She also won medals at eight successive World Athletics Championships.
The legendary thrower had won as many as 14 national titles, in addition to three Asian Games gold medals. Her gold-winning 20.58m mark at the Olympic Games in Tokyo remains her career best.
Gong was trained by Li Meisu, another Chinese Olympic and Asian shot put medalist.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for Asian Athletics
Major International Medals won by Gong Lijiao:
| Competition | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| World Athletics Championships | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| World Indoor Athletics Championships | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Continental (World) Cup in Athletics | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Asian Games | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Asian Athletics Championships | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Asian Indoor Athletics Champions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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