Chinese gymnast takes Great Leap forward

In this article, first published Nov. 18, 1982, Estanislao Oziewcz, globeandmail.com Foreign Editor, interviewed Beijing Olympic flame igniter Li Ning, who was then 19. In those days Beijing was known as Peking. In the past several years, Mao Tse-tung's sporting aphorism "Friendship first, competition second" has been rearranged to suit China's goal of becoming a sports superpower as part of the country's larger political ambitions. China took a large step in that direction at last month's world gymnastics championships in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. Back in Peking, Li Ning, who dominated those championships, talked to Globe and Mail correspondent Stanley Oziewicz. STANLEY OZIEWICZ PEKING - Li Ning is 19, on top of the world, and knows it. Confidence comes easy when you've just won five gold medals and one bronze at the World Cup of... [read full story]