Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Chunli Li

Chunli Li
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Women's table tennis
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Manchester Singles
Silver medal – second place 2002 Manchester Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Manchester Mixed Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Manchester Team

Chunli Li MNZM (simplified Chinese: 李春丽; traditional Chinese: 李春麗; pinyin: Lǐ Chūnlì, born 28 February 1962) is a Chinese-born New Zealand female professional table tennis player. She won a gold, silver and two bronze medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games to cap off her long career.[1]

Li was born in Guiping, Guigang, Guangxi in 1962. She became one of the top table tennis players in China, specialising as a doubles player. Li migrated to New Zealand in 1987 and subsequently represented New Zealand until she retired in 2004 to concentrate as the national coach. She competed at four Olympic Games and one Commonwealth Games for New Zealand. Since 2011, she came out of her "retirement" and started representing New Zealand again. Li led the New Zealand team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[2][3]

Li (right), after her investiture as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the Governor-General, Dame Patsy Reddy, in 2017

In the 2017 New Year Honours, Li was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to table tennis.[4]

References

  1. ^ "The Chunli dilemma: what happens when you're too good for New Zealand?". The Spinoff. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Chunli Li". New Zealand Olympic Team. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Li Chunli leads NZ women's table tennis team for Glasgow". RNZ. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  4. ^ "New Year honours list 2018". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2018.