Li Ling (; born 6 July 1989) is a Chinese athlete, who specialises in the pole vault.
She competed at the 2006 World Junior Championships, but no-heighted in the final. She achieved indoor and outdoor personal bests in 2008, clearing 4.45 metres indoors in Beijing in February and repeating the feat outdoors two months later in Hangzhou.
She represented her country at the 2008 Summer Olympics but her mark of 4.15 m in the qualifying round was not enough to progress to the final. She fared better at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, but her season's best mark of 4.40 m was ten centimetres off making the final competition.
She matched her personal best to take the gold medal at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games. The vault was one centimetre off Zhang Yingning's Asian record in the event.Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2009-10-31). Li Ling's vault victory and Huong's 60m triumph highlight opening day of Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
On September 8, 2013, she achieved a new Asian record at the Chinese National Games in Shenyang, China with 4.65 m.
Since then Li had achieved Asian record in women's pole vault for another 3 times —— first time was 2015 Asian Athletics Championships in Wuhan which she raised her record by one centimeter to 4.66m, second time was 2016 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha she became the first Asian female pole vaulter to cross the height of 4.70m, last time in 2019 Diamond League Shanghai she finished second with 4.72m, a record that stands till now.
Li won the women's pole vault event at the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup with mark of 4.55m, remarkably, this was the sole first-place finish for Asia-Pacific team at that tournament.
After 4 consecutive Olympics appearances, Li suddenly withdrew from 2024 Olympic Games before Team China's departure to France due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Career Representing 2006World Junior ChampionshipsBeijing, China1st (q)4.00 mNo mark in the final2007Asian ChampionshipsAmman, Jordan –NM2008Olympic GamesBeijing, China27th (q)4.15 m2009UniversiadeBelgrade, Serbia6th4.30 mWorld ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany18th (q)4.40 mAsian Indoor GamesHanoi, Vietnam1st4.45 mEast Asian GamesHong Kong, China2nd4.05 m2010World Indoor ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar16th (q)4.20 mAsian GamesGuangzhou, China2nd4.30 m2011Asian ChampionshipsKobe, Japan2nd4.30 mUniversiadeShenzhen, China –NMWorld ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea29th (q)4.25 m2012Asian Indoor ChampionshipsHangzhou, China1st4.50 mOlympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom30th (q)4.25 m2013Asian ChampionshipsPune, India1st4.54 mWorld ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia11th4.45 m2014Continental CupMarrakesh, Morocco1st4.55 mAsian GamesIncheon, South Korea1st4.35 m2015Asian ChampionshipsWuhan, China1st4.66 m ARUniversiadeGwangju, South Korea1st4.45 mWorld ChampionshipsBeijing, China9th4.60 m2016Asian Indoor ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar1st4.70 m AROlympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil16th (q)4.55 m2017Asian ChampionshipsBhubaneswar, India2nd4.20 m2018Asian GamesJakarta, Indonesia1st4.60 m2019Asian ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar1st4.61 mWorld ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar13th4.50 m2021Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan –NM2022World ChampionshipsEugene, United States6th4.60 m2023Asian ChampionshipsBangkok, Thailand1st4.66 mWorld ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary13th (q)4.60 mAsian GamesHangzhou, China1st4.63 m2024Asian Indoor ChampionshipsTehran, Iran1st4.51 mWorld Indoor ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom11th4.40 m
Personal bests EventBest (m)VenueDatePole vault (outdoor)4.72 (AR)Shanghai, China18 May 2019Pole vault (indoor)4.70 (AR)Doha, Qatar19 February 2016 All information taken from IAAF profile.
References
External links
Team China 2008